Holders and hot favourites DCU have been knocked out in the quarter-finals of the Sigerson Cup this afternoon.

The north Dublin college met UCC in a repeat of the 2010 final, which they won by a five-point margin.

However, the Munster men exacted their revenge in a dramatic encounter at UCD Belfield this afternoon (Thursday), with a goal ten minutes from the end proving the decisive score in a 1-12 to 0-14 victory.

DCU and DIT had started the year vying for Sigerson favouritism but neither side will be on show in Friday's semi-finals, DIT having been dumped out by the University of Limerick two weeks ago.

UL's hopes of building on that victory were dashed by surprise packages NUI Maynooth today, with the Co Kildare college reaching the semi-finals for the second successive year.

Maynooth trailed by one at the break (1-1 to 0-3) but held off-colour UL to a single point thereafter to run out 0-9 to 1-2 winners at the final whistle.

Maynooth, who reached the last four on home soil last year, will face Ulster University Jordanstown in the semi-finals on Friday after UUJ's impressive defeat of IT Carlow.

UUJ had 13 points to spare over Cork IT in the first round and managed to eclipse that winning margin this time with a 2-19 to 1-8 victory.

They led by five at the interval (1-10 to 1-5) and extended their lead throughout the second half against an outclassed IT Carlow collective.

UUJ's goals came from Conor McManus and Jason McAnulla, with Craig Rogers responding from the penalty spot for Carlow.

Quarter-final day finished with a comfortable victory for hosts UCD over NUI Galway.

The competition's most decorated side, UCD are bidding to end a 15-year wait for Sigerson Cup glory and made a hugely impressive start in their quest, with Laois duo John O'Loughlin and Donie Kingston, Wexford's Ciaran Lyng and Westmeath teenage star John Heslin all in good form for the Belfield side.

Thursday's Sigerson Cup quarter-final results:

UUJ 2-19 IT Carlow 1-8
NUI Maynooth 0-9 UL 1-2
UCC 1-12 DCU 0-14
UCD 0-18 NUI Galway 2-3