ATU Donegal squeezed out of Sigerson by Ulster University by the bare minimum

Ulster University reeled back a deficit of eight points to edge their way into the knockout stages of the Sigerson Cup at the expense of ATU Donegal.

ATU Donegal 1-13 Ulster University 2-11

A fine couple of personal showings by Andrew Gilmore and Conor Cush, who scored 1-4 and 1-5 respectively, helped rescue it for Ulster University, turning it around against the all-Donegal side who had Joel Bradley Walsh on form kicking eight points. 

Maxi Curran’s team produced an excellent first half and a lead of seven points - 1-9 to 0-5 - and that was the very least they deserved. They ripped into their opponents from the first whistle, with tigerish defending and smart forward play. 

In Bradley Walsh they had an accurate place-kicker, despite the heavy underfoot conditions and once you saw Bobby McGettigan’s name on the team sheet there was a frequent option to go long.

The opening goal on just six minutes came from such a tactic, with Jason McGee not dwelling on things to plant a ball in towards McGettigan, who slapped on for Eoin Dowling to shoot under Odhran Lynch.

That made the score 1-1 to 0-1, with Bradley Walsh’s fisted effort beforehand, which clipped both uprights before going over, cancelling out  Gilmore’s opening free.

Keelan McGroddy and McGee’s free added to a series of Bradley Walsh points to keep ATU Donegal ticking over. Lynch, the Ulster University goalkeeper who won the McKenna Cup with Derry the night before, had a fortunate escape on 14 minutes when he missed a punch on a dropping ball and McGettigan tried to backheel it over the lone, only for Josh Largo Ellis to clear off the line.

Then, on 24 minutes, McGettigan got a slap on a free from Bradley Walsh that was dropping short and only the goalpost prevented Ulster University from conceding a second goal. Late frees in the half from Gilmore and Cush took the score back to 1-7 to 0-5, which perhaps wasn’t a reflection of what had happened to that point. Aodhan Donaghy was black-carded for a late tackle on Kealan Dunleavy. 

ATU Donegal, though, finished the half strongly, with Conor O’Donnell bursting through the score and then Bradley Walsh kicking his sixth point of the half.

The contest was postponed twice in Jordanstown last week and then in Downings on Friday, so at the fourth attempt saw the trek to Ballinderry. The home fixture with UCD was the carrot on offer for ATU Donegal.

In the HE Senior Football League Division 1 in Convoy in November, Ulster University ran out winners on a 0-15 to 0-9 scoreline, although they were surprisingly beaten by Queen’s 1-12 to 1-11 in their opening Sigerson outing, while DCU beat ATU Donegal in style, 4-15 to 1-7.

In the second half, ATU Donegal edged out their lead to 1-11 to 0-6, with Bradley Walsh and McGroddy scoring but a 39th minute goal from Gilmore gave Ulster University hope. Picking up a pass from James Donaghy, Down forward Gilmore pierced his shot past Jonathan Toye. 

Only five behind with plenty on the clock, Ulster University upped the gears and although Dunleavy scored on the break for ATU Donegal, all the action was taking place in one half of the field. Ulster University then kicked four in a row, with Darragh Canavan joining the party and bringing his side back to just two away from parity.

With ATU Donegal struggling to hold onto the ball in forward areas, the pressure told when Aaron Gillooley was penalised for a foul on Gilmore, which Cush scored from the penalty spot to put his team in front for the first time at 2-10 to 1-12. The Donaghmoyne forward then pushed the lead out to two.

Cush might’ve put the game to bed just beforehand when he rattled Toye’s crossbar. It’s probably still shaking. ATU pushed and although Bradley Walsh scored what was only their fourth score of the second half, they were just the one down in injury time. Dunleavy had a shot to level only to see it fall wide and then the Glenswilly clubman went down amid appeals for a free in. 

At the other end, with logic all over the place at this stage, Tom Close punched off the crossbar and when he took another slap at it, Conor O’Donnell was there to save it on the line. And so, the only two Donegal men leaving with smiles on their faces were Coalan McCogan and Ciaran Moore, who are part of the Ulster University panel.

ATU Donegal scorers: Joel Bradley Walsh 0-8, 5f, 45; Eoin Dowling 1-0; Keelan McGroddy 0-2, Conor O’Donnell and Kealan Dunleavy 0-1; Jason McGee 0-1, 1f.
Ulster University scorers: Conor Cush 1-5, 1-0, 3f; Andrew Gilmore 1-4, 4f; Karl Gallagher 0-1; Darragh Canavan 0-1

ATU Donegal: Jonathan Toye (Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin); Conor McDermott (St Mary’s [Convoy), Kieran Tobin (St Eunan’s), Dylan Dorrian (Milford); Jack Gallagher (Glenswilly), Aaron Gillooley (Sean MacCumhaill’s), Keelan McGroddy (Downings); Jason McGee (Cloughaneely), Kealan Dunleavy (Glenswilly); Ryan McFadden (Termon), Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), Eoin Dowling (St Eunan’s); Mark McAteer (Gaeil Fhánada), Joel Bradley Walsh (Sean MacCumhaill’s), Bobby McGettigan (Termon). Subs: Ronan Frain (Letterkenny Gaels) and Jack Gillespie (Naomh Muire) for McAteer and McGettigan (56)

Ulster University: Odhran Lynch (Magherafelt, Derry); Caolan McColgan (Naomh Padraig Uisce Chaoin, Donegal), Ryan Magill (Burren, Down), James Donaghy (Carrickmore, Tyrone); Ryan Jones (Dungannon, Tyrone), Ryan Convery (Portglenone, Antrim), Danny Magill (Burren, Down); Aodhan Donaghy (Loughmacrory, Tyrone), Odhran Murdock (Burren, Down); Tom Close (Clonduff, Down), Darragh Canavan (Errigal Ciaran, Tyrone), Josh Largo Ellis (Irvinstown, Fermanagh); Andrew Gilmore (St John’s, Down), Karl Gallagher (Emyvale, Monaghan), Conor Cush (Donaghmore, Tyrone). Subs: Ben McCarron (Steelstown, Derry) for A Donaghy (39), Conor Quinn (Galbally, Tyrone) and Ruairí Slane (Carrickmore, Tyrone) for J Donaghy and Largo Ellis (45), Ciaran Moore (St Eunan’s, Donegal) for Jones (60+4)

Referee: Martin Loughran (Tyrone).