Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup Round 2A: NUI Galway 3-10 Queen’s University, Belfast 2-7

Turbitt scores not enough as NUIG beat Queen’s

By DAIRE WALSH

DESPITE the best efforts of full-forward Conor Turbitt, Queen’s fell to a six-point Sigerson Cup defeat at the hands of NUI Galway at Whitehall Colmcille in Dublin last night.

The Armagh sharpshooter helped himself to an impressive tally of 2-4, but it wasn’t enough to rein in the challenge of NUIG. This was the second time in the space of six days that the Connacht men had overcome Ulster opposition, following hot on the heels of their gutsy 1-10 to 2-5 victory over Ulster University last Wednesday.

It was a bright start from Queen’s with Armagh prospect Kieran Hughes chipping a fine point inside the opening 60 seconds of the contest. However, NUIG were buoyed by their impressive second half display last week and fired back with 2-3 on the bounce.

After bursting through on goal in the second minute, Mayo man Fionn McDonagh blasted beyond the reach of Queen’s netminder Eoghan Mulholland. The pacy wing-forward was soon joined in raising a green flag by his county colleague Tommy Conroy, who comfortably got the better of his marker before unleashing an unstoppable strike to the net.

Galway natives Tommo Culhane and Matthew Tierney (two) also recorded points for Maurice Sheridan’s rampant westerners, but Queen’s eventually came up with an adequate response.

They created a number of goal chances during the opening quarter and finally found their way past Conor Carroll when Turbitt coolly converted a 14th-minute penalty. Moments earlier, the influential number 14 had palmed home from close-range, only to see his effort ruled out for a square ball.

Yet NUIG remained in control with Cathal Donoghue and McDonagh both finding the range either side of the first half water break. Wing-back Peter Brooks and Conroy went on to trade points, leaving Queen’s seven adrift, 2-6 to 1-2, at the interval.

Queen’s enjoyed good spells of possession throughout the opening period but – in stark contrast to NUIG – were struggling to establish a sustained attacking foothold.

An inspirational Turbitt score cancelled out Eoghan Kelly’s fisted point on the resumption, but this only provided Conor Deegan’s outfit with a brief respite. After linking up to telling effect with his brother Paul, Sean Kelly raced through to grab his second goal in as many games on 42 minutes.

He subsequently registered an outstanding point to move NUIG 11 points clear, 3-9 to 1-4, though Queen’s did enjoy a mini resurgence inside the final-quarter. Capitalising on a handling error by netminder Carroll, Turbitt flicked home for his second goal of the action in the 47th-minute.

Turbitt and his inside partner Hughes reduced the gap to six with unanswered points, but this was as close as they came to their superior counterparts.

Traded scores between dead-ball specialists Tierney and Turbitt rounded off the scoring and Queen’s will now switch their focus to round three next week.

MATCH STATS

NUI Galway: C Carroll; C Murray, N Mulcahy, G Burke; R Egan, E Kelly (0-1), N Mullen; P Kelly, S Kelly (1-1); F McDonagh (1-2), M Tierney (0-3, 2f), C Donoghue (0-1); T Culhane (0-1, 1f), T Conroy (1-1), C Sweeney.

Subs: T Gill for Donoghue (20), C Monaghan for Egan (48), P O’Donnell for McDonagh (50), R Monaghan for Mullen (58), D Hunt for Culhane (61).

Queen’s University: E Mulholland; S Bolger, R Conroy, S McCarthy; M Murnaghan, P Fagan, P Brooks (0-1); T Bogue, D Guinness; C Gorman, P Finnegan, R Donnolly; K Hughes (0-2), C Turbitt (2-4, 1-0 pen, 0-3f, 0-1 ’45’), J Tunney.

Subs: G Brown for McCarthy, O Mallon for Tunney (both h-t), J Smyth for Gorman, C Love for Finnegan (both 42), C O’Hare for Bolger (58).

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).

NUI Galway 1-21 UCD 1-18

Evan Niland struck 12 points at Belfield last night as NUI Galway held off a strong challenge from UCD to earn victory in the opening round of the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Thanks in no small part to a superb Fionn McDonagh goal in the 12th-minute, NUIG – playing with the aid of a strong breeze – led 1-3 to 0-4 on the first-quarter mark. Galway native Donal O’Shea (son of former Tipperary manager Eamon) contributed seven points for the hosts during the opening period but with two-time Hurler of the Year Cian Lynch helping himself to a brace of scores, the westerners brought a 1-10 to 0-8 cushion into the interval.

Despite an encouraging start to the second half from UCD – Tom Hannan and Ciaran Foley joined O’Shea on the scoresheet – NUIG remained in the driving seat courtesy of the steady influence of both Niland the ever-impressive Lynch.

An outstanding 1-1 salvo from midfielder Eoin Guilfoyle offered renewed hope to UCD, but with Niland knocking over four points in the closing stages, it was NUIG who prevailed.

Scorers:

NUI Galway: E Niland 0-12 (8f), J Fleming 0-5, C Lynch 0-3, F McDonagh 1-0, B Concannon 0-1.

UCD: D O’Shea 0-11 (8f, 1 ’65’), E Guilfoyle 1-1, L Murphy, K Lahiff 0-2 each, T Hannan, C Foley 0-1 each.

TEAMS –

NUI GALWAY – L Reilly; E Lawless, D Morrissey, I McGlynn; M Gill, J Fitzpatrick, C Caulfield; C Killeen, C Lynch; B Concannon, C Walsh, F McDonagh; E Niland, J Fleming, P Hickey. Subs: O Salmon for McGlynn (26-27, blood), D Kilcommons for Walsh (48), E McMahon for McDonagh (49), S Burke for Killeen (52), Salmon for Lawless (57), L Forde for Hickey (60).

UCD – C O’Donoghue; B Sheehy, E Geraghty, S Audsley; T Hannan, I O hEithir, C Minogue; N Heffernan, E Guilfoyle; D O’Carroll, C Foley, L Murphy; L O’Brien, D O’Shea, C Prendiville.

Subs: C O Cathasaigh for Geraghty (43), D O’Brien for O hEithir (52), K Lahiff for O’Carroll, D O Floinn for Murphy (both 54).

Referee: J Keenan (Wicklow)

Evan Niland and Cian Lynch star as NUI Galway overcome UCD challenge

NUI Galway 3-10 Queens University 2-7

NUI Galway defeated Ulster opposition for the second time in the space of six days at Whitehall Colmcille GAA grounds in north Dublin to safely progress into the quarter-final stage of the Sigerson Cup.

Courtesy of goals from Mayo attackers Fionn McDonagh and Tommy Conroy, the westerners developed an early 2-3 to 0-1 lead over Queen’s University. Maurice Sheridan’s side had the measure of Ulster University in the same venue last week and, despite Conor Turbitt rattling their net off a 14th-minute penalty, they led 2-6 to 1-2 at the interval.

A second goal from Sean Kelly in as many games helped NUIG to establish an 11-point lead (3-9 to 1-4) on the third-quarter mark, before Queen’s enjoyed a mini resurgence in the closing minutes.

A 1-2 salvo from Armagh star Turbitt – bringing his final tally to 2-4 – wasn’t enough to rein in the NUIG challenge, but Conor Deegan’s men can take some solace as they seek to bounce back in the round three of the competition next week.

Scorers – NUI Galway: F McDonagh 1-2, T Conroy, S Kelly 1-1 each, M Tierney 0-3 (2f), T Culhane (f), E Kelly, C Donoghue 0-1 each. Queen’s University: C Turbitt 2-4 (1-0 pen, 0-3f, 0-1 ’45’), K Hughes 0-2, P Brooks 0-1.

NUI GALWAY – C Carroll; C Murray, N Mulcahy, G Burke; R Egan, E Kelly, N Mullen; P Kelly, S Kelly; F McDonagh, M Tierney, C Donoghue; T Culhane, T Conroy, C Sweeney. Subs: T Gill for Donoghue (20), C Monaghan for Egan (48), P O’Donnell for McDonagh (50), R Monaghan for Mullen (58), D Hunt for Culhane (61)

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY – E Mulholland; S Bolger, R Conroy, S McCarthy; M Murnaghan, P Fagan, P Brooks; T Bogue, D Guinness; C Gorman, P Finnegan, R Donnolly; K Hughes, C Turbitt, J Tunney. Subs: G Brown for McCarthy, O Mallon for Tunney (both h-t), J Smyth for Gorman, C Love for Finnegan (both 42), C O’Hare for Bolger (58).

REF – B Cawley (Kildare).