UL dethrone champions University of Galway after extra-time in Sigerson Cup quarter-final

It finished 1-15 to 2-10 in Galway with captain Emmet McMahon and Ciaran Downes landing the final two scores down the stretch.

The Univeristy of Limerick gained some revenge for last year’s final defeat as they eliminated the University of Galway in the quarters of this year’s competition on Tuesday evening.

The reigning champions needed Galway captain Sean Kelly to kick the leveller from the bench late in normal time but it was the Limerick side that just had enough in the final twenty in Dangan.

It finished 1-15 to 2-10 in Galway with captain Emmet McMahon and Ciaran Downes landing the final two scores down the stretch.

McMahon’s was a beautiful long-range free out near the sideline while Downes opted for a fist over the bar as he bore down on the Galway goal.

Extra-time didn’t seem on the cards with ten to play as UL eventually found the lead after settling following the concession of two first half goals.

With Paul Keaney levelling matters on 48 minutes at 2-5 to 0-11, Paul Walsh disposessed the Galway side before chipping the keeper from just outside the D to give UL a cushion.

But frees from Matthew Tierney and Kelly’s intervention ensured the extras as it finished 2-9 to 1-12 after an hour. Tierney was first off the mark in the additional period but he was matched by McMahon’s first of the evening with nothing to separate the teams heading into the final ten.

His second was a thing of beauty just 75 seconds into the second period of additional time while Downes added the insurance score in injury time.

The result seemed a way off after twenty minutes in Dangan with the hosts bagging their second after a mix up in the UL defence as Ger Davoran found the net. That followed Mark McInerney’s goal with NUIG leading 2-2 to 0-2.

But UL, who had St Kierans man John Hayes in the starting line up, regrouped to reduce the margin to three at the half. Keaney’s frees kept them in it before Walsh’s goal looked to have won the game.

UL are now safely into the final four for the second successive year and they are joined already by DCU Dochas Eireann who proved too strong for MTU Cork on Tuesday. UCD face TU Dublin while UCC meet St Mary’s in the other quarters this evening.

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