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It is safe to say it’s been another hugely successful sporting year for UCD, with students securing historic victories in multiple different sporting disciplines, garnering national and international recognition for their achievements.
In Gaelic Games, UCD claimed a historic first-ever Electric Ireland Higher Education Fresher A Football Championship, lifting the Dave Billings Cup after a 3-08 to 0-15 point victory over DCU on Thursday 13 February. Making their home advantage count, Captain David O’Rourke lifted the cup in front of the Belfield faithful. O’Rourke was also awarded the Player of the Match award, completing a League and Championship double for the students. UCD also saw success in the All-Ireland Higher Education Intermediate Football Championship on Monday 17 February after defeating ATU Sligo 1-18 to 1-10 in the final in Cashel.
In soccer, UCD AFC came from behind to win the 2025 Harding Cup, beating Maynooth 2-1 thanks to goals from Odhran McLaughlin and Lorcan Moore, the former being later named the player of the three-day tournament. Meanwhile, young stars Hugh Parker and Cathal McCarthy have both signed for Hull City, UCD AFC has confirmed, adding to the already impressive crop of youngsters fostered by UCD’s development hub. The club also continued its European journey, travelling to Kosovo for the next stage of the UEFA Youth League.
In Rugby, UCD Women’s Rugby Club, led by Captain and Sports Scholar Emma Kelly, successfully defended their Kay Bowen Cup, securing back-to-back titles at the InterVarsity Blitz, hosted by UCC. The tournament, the largest in the Irish Universities Rugby Union, featured over 220 players.
Athletes from UCD excelled at the Irish Universities Athletics Association Indoor Competition 2025, securing multiple titles across various disciplines; sprint, middle and long-distance. Bori Akinola dominated the Men’s 60m event, running in 6.64 seconds, while Sive O’Toole claimed the Women’s 60m in 7.51 seconds. Molly Hourihan won the Women’s 200 metre event in a time of 24.42 seconds, Jonas Stafford took gold in the Men’s 1500m (3:50.72), and Renee Crotty secured victory in the Women’s 800 metre race in a time of 2:15.37. Furthermore, Sorcha McAllister led the Women’s 3000m, running a time of 9:53.96, further establishing UCD’s dominance in Irish university athletics.
In the pool, UCD’s medley relay team triumphed at the Swim Ireland Short Course National Championships, further cementing the college’s dominance in Irish university sport.
On the tennis court, UCD Tennis Club achieved a major milestone at the 2025 Intervarsities Championship when the Women’s First Team reclaimed the Women’s Cup title against Trinity, and the Men’s First Team secured their third consecutive victory by defeating hosts DCU in the final.
Significant victories in GAA, soccer, rugby, athletics, swimming and tennis highlight the breadth of UCD’s sporting esteem, as well as the depth of talent and dedication within the university’s sports programmes. With a host of past-and-present UCD students representing Ireland at the Summer 2024 Olympics in Paris last year, it is surely only a matter of time before this current crop of student talent breaks through to the International stage.