Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup round one
St Mary’s University College 0-9 ATU Sligo 0-8
FERGAL O’Brien landed the winning score for St Mary’s University College in the final minute of normal time at The Dub to see them repel ATU Sligo’s second-half fightback.
The Ranch led by five at the break and appeared to be cruising, but lost their way a little in the second period with the visitors seizing the momentum and drawing level late on.
However, with extra-time looming, up popped O’Brien to sling over from deep to see the Belfast college advance.
St Mary’s made the early running with Conan Milne on target, but the Sligo outfit would make the most of their early forays with a Jack Lavin free levelling and they again responded through Jack Davitt after a Seanie O’Donnell point.
The visitors had their first sight of goal soon after Jude Campbell kicked a free for St Mary’s, but Darragh Croarkin denied Davitt’s palmed effort.
The Belfast side would push on with Campbell prominent as he would finish the opening half with four points, including a fisted effort from play, to help his side into a 0-7 to 0-2 lead at the break as Michael McCallan also got on the board.
However, it could have been much closer only for the post to deny Davitt late in the half following a great ball by Lavin, but it was St Mary’s holding that healthy advantage at the change of ends.
The crossbar would come to the visitors’ aid early in the second period when Danny Magee rose to palm but the ball came off the top of the bar and was cleared.
ATU Sligo looked as though they had more purpose as they seemed more direct in their approach and scores from Joe Keaney and a Daire O’Boyle free brought the gap to three early in the second period.
Sean Rock replied at the other end and this seemed to halt the Sligo momentum with the game going scoreless for 10 minutes, but the visitors would enjoy a good purple patch with four points in five minutes to level with six to play.
But St Mary’s didn’t panic and having worked the ball around well, it was O’Brien to pull the trigger from deep to score what proved the winner.
The Sligo outfit pushed and probed for another equaliser, but the opportunity wasn’t forthcoming on this occasion with good defence from the Belfast outfit to ensure they held on for the win.
St Mary’s D Croarkin; C Agnew, F Murdock, K Burke; F O’Brien (0-1), M McCallan (0-1), M Hynes; D Treanor, C McGettigan; J Campbell (0-4, 3f), S O’Donnell (0-1); S Quigley, D Magee, S Rock (0-1), C Milne (0-1)
Subs L McKeever for D Magee (56), J McCormack for S Quigley (56), S Daly for J Campbell (60+3)
ATU Sligo J Kelly; E Shehu (0-1), K Clancy, J Ellis; C O’Reilly, M Walsh, D Walsh; J Keaney (0-1), D McDermott; D Syron, A Keelaghan, R Doherty; J Lavin (0-2f), D O’Boyle (0-2f), J Davitt (0-1)
Subs R O’Rourke for D Syron (14), J Grady (0-1) for A Keelaghan (43)
Referee P Faloon (Down)
Round two
Tuesday, January 16 (7pm unless stated)
Queen’s University, Belfast v TUS Midlands (the Dub Arena)
TU Dublin v St Mary’s University College (venue TBC)
University College, Dublin v Ulster University (Belfield, 7.30pm)
Maynooth University v University of Limerick (Maynooth University North Campus, 8pm)
Wednesday, January 17 (7pm unless stated)
SETU Carlow v DCU Dochas Eireann (Carlow IT)
University College, Cork v ATU Galway (Mardyke)
University of Galway v ATU Sligo (Dangan)
MTU Cork v ATU Donegal (Abbotstown, 7.45pm)