Prenderville and Roarty feature in tough defeat with ATU Galway against UL

St Naul's man Niall Prenderville and Naomh Conaill's Connor Roarty both played starting roles for ATU Galway who fell to the University of Limerick in the opening round of the Sigerson Cup on Friday on a 3-17 to 1-10 scoreline.

Goals from Darragh Heneghan, Sean McDonnell, and Darragh Cashman powered the University of Limerick (UL) to a comfortable win on UL’s 4G pitch.

Prenderville played at right-half back while Roarty played at centre-half back for the majority of the match.

Originally scheduled elsewhere, the game was moved to UL’s campus on Friday afternoon. While home advantage may have favoured the hosts, their dominance was largely due to their superior play and clinical finishing.

Under manager Declan Brouder, UL have come close to Sigerson Cup glory in recent years, and this squad appears well-equipped to mount another challenge. Despite playing under the old rules, UL demonstrated their scoring prowess with several long-range efforts complementing their relentless running game.

ATU Galway now face a do-or-die Connacht clash against ATU Sligo, while UL prepare for a tougher test against University of Ulster Jordanstown in round two.

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UL’s victory was cemented by three goals scored at key moments. The first, just before half-time, came from Cashman after a sharp assist from Heneghan. This gave UL a commanding 1-7 to 0-4 lead, with Paul Kelly and Nathan Grainger among Galway’s scorers.

Early in the second half, UL added a quick 1-2, including a scrappy goal from Heneghan, to extend their lead. McDonnell netted the third with a composed finish from Cian McHale’s pass. Though Jack Mullen grabbed a late consolation goal for ATU Galway, UL’s defensive solidity and attacking depth were clear throughout.

While UL will regret a few sloppy fouls and the late goal conceded, their opening performance sets a strong foundation for the challenges ahead.