Huge win for IT Sligo in Sigerson
IT SLIGO 0-8 UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK 0-5
Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup Rd 1
IT was their first home game in the Sigerson Cup for 12 years and IT Sligo certainly made the wait worthwhile, sending opponents UL crashing out of the colleges’ competition on Sunday.
Benji Drummond’s men had goalkeeper Paddy O’Malley to thank for a number of sensational saves to deny UL any chance of claiming victory.
The hosts power through to the quarter finals where they are at home once more on Sunday to Letterkenny IT in a Northwest derby.
Leading by 0-3 to 0-2 at the break, IT Sligo outscored the Munster outfit by 5 points to 3 in the second period with Sligo’s Sean Carrabine, who notched 3, proving a thorn in the UL side, along with Niall McGovern of Leitrim and the lively Timmy Govorov.
O’Malley was sublime between the posts for IT Sligo, stopping Keelan Sexton’s chance on 33minutes while he was also called into action in the closing minutes as UL looked to get that elusive goal.
It took 9 minutes before the game’s first score arrived, through a Fionn McDonagh free for UL with midfielder Joseph O’Connor adding another from play midway through the half.
IT Sligo got off the mark 24 minutes in, with captain Andew McClean pointing from play after a Kevin McBrearty pass as UL were ruing some missed chances. Carrabine, impressive throughout, got his first from a placed ball on 29 minutes and the Castleconnor man added another from play moments later after a Cormac Murray pass, Sligo ahead by one at the break.
The hosts stretched their lead to 2 points following the resumption, with a fantastic point from Govorov before O’Malley denied Sexton’s goal chance. Eoghan Lawless got what turned out to be only the second point from play for UL as Carrabine’s impressively-struck free split the posts on 36 minutes.
Luke Molloy and the towering Niall McGovern linked up for IT Sligo’s next point as UL had lost some of their rhythm. Gorovov then fed McGovern for one of the points of the game on 45 minutes. UL responded with two frees from Sexton bringing it back to a 2 point game with six minutes to go.
O’Malley, not intent on keeping the goals out, also converted IT Sligo’s final score from a placed ball on 58 minutes. UL to their credit kept pushing forward, Sexton seeing his free come bouncing off the crossbar as he eyed up the goal on 60 minutes.
It wasn’t to be for the Munster men though and IT Sligo look forward to another day out on Sunday.
IT SLIGO: P O’Malley (Roscommon), J Haran (Sligo), D Phillips (Cavan), T McSkean (Monaghan), J Allen (Fermanagh), K McGloin (Leitrim), S Carrabine (Sligo), K McBrearty (Donegal), L Molloy (Cavan), L Jones (Fermanagh), A McClean (C) (Donegal), S Murphy (Sligo), T Govorov (Donegal), N McGovern (Leitrim), C Murray (Clare). Subs used: R Harkin (Longford) for Phillips (b/s 21), R Harkin for Allen (46), J Clarke (Carlow) for McSkean (56), S McGrath (Donegal) for Govorov (62).
Scorers: S Carrabine (0-3, 2f), N McGovern (0-2), A McClean (0-1), T Govorov (0-1), P O’Malley (0-1, 1f).
UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK: S Ryan (Clare), M Reidy (Kerry), J Dawson (Mayo), T Hoare (Kerry), B O’Beaghlaoich (Kerry), G White (Kerry), P Maxwell (Westmeath), J O’Connor (Kerry), H Bourke (Limerick), F McDonagh (Mayo), J Kennedy (Tipperary), E Lawless (Kildare), K Sexton (Clare), F Flanagan (Laois), G Sheehan (Wexford). Sub used: P Maher (Limerick) for Hoare (51).
Scorers: K Sexton (0-2, 2f), F McDonagh (0-1, 1f), J O’Connor (0-1), E Lawless (0-1).
REFEREE: K Eannetta (Tyrone).