Late NUI Galway goal means end of the Sigerson road for LyIT

Letterkenny Institute of Technology were left heartbroken as a goal three minutes from time by Tomo Culhane meant NUI Galway sneaked into the semi-finals of the Sigerson Cup.

NUI Galway 2-8
LyIT 1-8

In driving rain at the Dangan Sports Campus in Galway, the balance of power shifted one way and then the other, with LyIT leading 0-4 to 0-1 before the home side kicked 1-4 on the bounce to go four points up at half-time, 1-5 to 0-4. 

Eoghan Kelly, one of three brothers - Paul and Sean are the others - in the NUI Galway from the Moycullen club whose mother is from Ramelton, raced through and slotted home an excellent goal just before the interval.

NUI Galway were dealt a blow when Tommy Conroy was carried off before the break with an ankle injury - the Mayo forward who played against Donegal at Markievicz Park on Sunday.

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Things on the scoreboard might’ve looked bleak for Maxi Curran’s side. However they flicked the switch again and with Gavin Durcan sent off two minutes after Nathan Mullen picked up a black card, managed to edge into a 1-6 to 1-5 lead against the 13 men. The goal came on 40 minutes from Jack McSharry, just before the second Durcan booking.

However, Culhane scored the all-important goal. With only goalkeeper Conor Carroll in the NUI Galway half, they constructed a move as LyIT tried in vain to hold on for extra-time with the score 1-7 to 1-7. Sean Kelly’s penetrating run was pivotal and Culhane made it 2-7 to 1-7. The Salthill player had hit the post moments beforehand.

The goal, added to by a Matthew Tierney point  - his fifth of the night - meant NUI Galway were four points to the good prior to Oisin Langan scoring the last point of the evening for LyIT, who hobbled off in Sligo on Donegal duty on Sunday.

LyIT shocked plenty on their way to the semi-final of the competition in 2020 - their first ever participation in the blue riband competition. This year, a fine away win over IT Carlow, 1-13 to 1-11, preceded a 2-23 to 3-15 reversal at University of Limerick’s hands before a surprise 0-8 to 0-7 success against UCD sealed a spot in the last eight.

NUI Galway join MTK Kerry in the semi-finals, with Aidan O’Mahony’s side hammering NUI Maynooth 4-15 to 0-7 today.

Scorers for NUIG: Tomo Culhane (1-3, 3f), Matthew Tierney (0-5, 3f), Eoghan Kelly (1-0).

Scorers for LyIT:  Jack McSharry (1-1), Joel Bradley-Walsh (0-2, 45), Conor O’Donnell (0-2), Keelan McGroddy, Jason McGee and Peadar Mogan (0-1).

NUI Galway: Conor Carroll (Oranmore, Roscommon); Colin Murray (Mountbellew/Moylough, Galway), Neil Mulcahy (Moycullen, Galway), Gavin Burke (Corofin, Galway); Nathan Mullen (Mullinabeeena, Sligo), Eoghan Kelly (Moycullen, Galway), Gavin Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo); Paul Kelly (Moycullen, Galway), Sean Kelly (Moycullen, Galway); Fionn McDonagh (Westport, Mayo), Matthew Tierney (Oughterard, Galway), Cathal Donoghue (Kilcormac, Offaly); Tomo Culhane (Salthill, Galway); Tommy Conroy (The Neale, Mayo), Cathal Sweeney (Salthill, Galway). Subs: Rory Egan (Edenderry, Offaly) for Conroy (half-time), Cathal Heneghan (Glaveys, Roscommon) for Donoghue (48).

LyIT: Emmet Maguire (Termon); Kieran Tobin (St Eunan’s), Jack Gallagher (Glenswilly), Dylan Dorrian (Milford), Oisin Langan (St Michael’s), Peadar Mogan (St Naul’s), Aaran Gilhooley (MacCumhaill’s); Rory O’Donnell (Milford), Ryan McFadden (Termon); Kealan Dunleavy (Glenswilly), Jason McGee (Cloughaneely), Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh); Eoin Dowling (St Eunan’s), Jack McSharry (Killybegs), Joel Bradley-Walsh (MacCumhaill’s).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare).