Sigerson Cup, Round Two: DCU 3-14 Queen’s University 0-5

Robert Finnerty registered 2-3 as DCU progressed to the Sigerson Cup quarter-finals with a comfortable victory at home to Queen’s University.

It was a dream start to the contest for the Dublin college with Galway attacker Finnerty and Longford’s Keelin McGann finding the Queen’s net inside the opening three minutes. A Rory Donnelly point finally got the visitors up and running in a fixture that was postponed twice earlier this week, only for DCU to reinforce their superiority courtesy of unanswered scores from Finnerty (two) and McGann.

After Queen’s corner-forward Luke Donnelly and Shane O’Donnell traded points, Finnerty bagged his second goal of the half on 27 minutes with a neat lob over opposition netminder Brian Cassidy.

A rampant DCU added to this three-pointer with contributions from Conor Corbett, Bill Carroll and Shane Walsh to ensure they led 3-8 to 0-2 at the break. Peter McGrane did add to the Queen’s tally on the restart, only for McGann and Meath footballer Walsh (two) to find the range at the opposite end.

Luke Donnelly posted a fine point for the Ulster men, but with 16 points (3-11 to 0-4) separating the teams on the scoreboard, it was a damage limitation exercise for Queen’s heading into the final-quarter. DCU substitutes Johnny McGroddy and David Lacey did their future selection prospects no harm with points either side of a Rory Donnelly free, before Queen’s midfielder Callum O’Hare was red carded in advance of Matthew Costello’s late score for the victors.

Scorers – DCU: R Finnerty 2-3 (0-3f), K McGann 1-2, S Walsh 0-3 (3f), C Corbett (f), D Lacey (f), M Costello (f), S O’Donnell, B Carroll, J McGroddy 0-1 each. Queen’s University: R Donnelly (f), L Donnelly (f), 0-2 each, P McGrane 0-1.

DCU: D O’Hanlon; T Crean, P Hughes, J Grant; M Costello, PJ Masterson, A Beirne; B Carroll, K Quinn; S O’Donnell, S Walsh, K McGann; L O’Dell, C Corbett, R Finnerty. Subs: J Bryant, J McGroddy, L Glennon-Boyle, D Lacey, M Cully.

Queen’s University: B Cassidy; S McCarthy, L McBride, P McCarthy; R Donnelly, A McAvoy, L Downey; T Bogue, C O’Hare; D Higgins, P Finnegan, K Friel; D Baker, O Mallon, L Donnelly. Subs: P McGrane, F Canavan, P Clancy, J O’Hara, E McGeehin.

Ref: A Smith (Meath).