LyIT hold their nerve to see off UCD and confirm Sigerson last eight spot

Joel Bradley-Walsh scored an injury-time mark to ensure Letterkenny Institute of Technology eked past University of College Dublin to seal a last eight berth in the Sigerson Cup.

LyIT 0-7
UCD 0-6

On a night when the Sigerson Cup came to Donegal, it went right down to the wire, with the Belfield college missing a free with the last kick of the game to force extra-time, with Brian McLoughlin’s falling to the right and wide five minutes into injury time.

In only their second year in the senior bracket - they were semi-finalists when the competition was last played in 2020 - the side managed by Maxi Curran came through what might only be termed as a struggle at the Donegal Training Centre in Convoy.

Following on from their 1-13 to 1-11 victory over IT Carlow, LyIT were beaten by University of Limerick, 2-23 to 3-15 at the Connacht AirDome, which meant tonight’s clash was do-or-die against a UCD side who included Naomh Conaill’s Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí.

The biggest margin between the sides over the course of the hour was when the all-Donegal side led by two at the start of the second half, 0-3 to 0-1, with Bradley-Walsh scoring the second of his four points on the night.

LyIT passed up on a number of opportunities and when Jason McGee hit the post with what looked like a routine 20-metre free, some might’ve felt it was going to be one of those nights. However, at the other end, UCD were having even more bother and Conor O’Donnell’s point put LyIT 0-2 to 0-1 ahead at half-time.

With no major wind issues, UCD led only in the first half through a 45 from Aaron McClements and didn't manage to score from play till McLoughlin popped over in the 47th minute.

Both sides were creating a decent number of chances, with finishing poor from both. Conor O’Donnell of LyIT and UCD’s Daire Cregg did provide an exception to that. McGee thought his free that put LyIT 0-6 to 0-5 up looked like the one, only for full-back Eoinn Harkin to level it for the visitors.

However, Bradley-Walsh was perhaps the one man on the field who was striking crisply and had scored 3-2 last week against UL. Undaunted, from the right hand side maybe 35 metres from goal, he stood over a marked ball in injury time. And over it went.

Scorers for LyIT: Joel Bradley-Walsh (0-4, 2f, 1m), Conor O’Donnell (0-2), Jason McGee (0-1, 1f),

Scorers for UCD: Brian McLoughlin (0-2), Daire Cregg (0-2, 1f), Aaron McClements (0-1, 45), Eoin Harkin (0-1)

LyIT: Emmett Maguire (Termon); Dylan Dorrian (Milford), Caolan Ward (St Eunan’s), Kieran Tobin (St Eunan’s); Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), Oisin Langan (St Michael’s), Jack Gallagher (Glenswilly), Rory O’Donnell (Milford), Ryan McFadden (Termon); Peadar Mogan (St Naul’s), Jason McGee (Cloughaneely), Kealan Dunleavy (Glenswilly); Jack McSharry (Killybegs), Joel Bradley-Walsh (MacCumhaill’s), Eoin Dowling (St Eunan’s). Subs: Aaron Gilhooley (MacCumhaill’s) for Gallagher (28), Sean Neary (Bonniconlon, Mayo) for McSharry (47), Keelan McGroddy (Downings) for Dorrian (53),

UCD: Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams); Ryan O’Toole (Scotstown, Monaghan), Eoin Harkin (Dunsany, Meath), Paddy O’Keane (St Patrick’s, Wicklow); Kieran Kennedy (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Martin O’ Connor (HWH Bunclody, Wexford), Darragh Ryan (Sarsfields, Kildare); Ethan Devine (Na Fianna, Meath), Aaron McClements (Loughinisland, Down); Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí (Naomh Conaill, Donegal), Darragh Kennedy (Killygarry, Cavan), Ruairí McCormick (Warrenpoint, Down); Daire Cregg (Boyle, Roscommon), Ray Connellan (Athlone, Westmeath), Brian McLoughlin (Clane, Kildare). Subs: Cathal Mangan (Kilclonfert, Offaly) for McCormick (half-time), Adam Loughran (Aghagallon, Antrim) and Ciaran O’Reilly (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for Mac Ceallabhuí and Kennedy (47), Matthew Corcoran (Geraldines, Louth) for Devine (57)

Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan).