SECOND half improvement is surely required if either Queen’s or University of Galway are to survive their second chance in the Sigerson Cup this season.
Having made the short trip across Belfast to Davitt Park for their away game at the weekend, Queen’s face a longer trip to the neutral venue of Templeport in Cavan to face Galway (Wednesday, 7pm).
The Belfast side scored just three points after the break in succumbing to a 1-16 to 1-9 loss to city rivals St Mary’s on Sunday – but that was three times what Galway managed in their opening defeat away to TU Dublin.
Cillian Ó Curraíon did strike the crossbar in aiming for a levelling goal at the last but had to be content with a personal tally of 0-4, three of those from frees, in a total of 0-5 against their hosts’ total of 0-8.
Ryan McQuillan notched 1-2 and skipper Luke Donnelly and Padraig Purcell of Kilmacud Croke’s also looked lively in the first half for Conor Deegan’s Queen’s side but they may need a more sustained effort second time around.
ATU Donegal face an even longer journey, heading away to Maynooth (North Campus, 7.15 pm Wednesday) to take on the Kildare outfit in their losers’ clash. The Tir Chonaill team were well beaten at home by MTU Cork, 0-6 to 1-10, and will be up against it to make progress.
Maynooth battled back brilliantly after conceding two early goals to TUS Midlands, with the scoring power of Eoghan Frayne helping them to force extra time in Athlone – but the hosts then prevailed by 2-18 to 0-21.
Elsewhere on Wednesday night there’s the Dublin derby of UCD and DCU at Belfield (7.45pm) in the winners’ section, with MTU Cork hosting TUS Midlands at 7.15pm.
In the losers’ section, there’s an ATU derby as Galway travel to take on Sligo (7pm).
Sigerson Cup round one results:
ATU Sligo 1-7 Ulster Uni 2-17
UCC 0-7 UCD 0-12
DCU Dochas Eireann 2-22 MTU Kerry 0-11
TU Dublin 0-8 Uni of Galway 0-5
ATU Galway 1-10 Uni of Limerick 3-17
ATU Donegal 0-6 MTU Cork 1-10
TUS Midlands 2-18 Maynooth 0-21
St Mary’s 1-16 Queen’s 1-9
