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).