NUIG for their first Sigerson Cup final since 2003 when they held off a DIT comeback in heavy rain at St Loman’s GAA grounds in Mullingar last night. NUIG never trailed throughout the contest, and thanks to goals in either half from Sean Kelly (Moycullen) and sub Eoin Finnerty (Mountbellew Moylough), held on for a deserved victory.
The Galway college led by 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval with Kelly's goal coming just before half time after Adam Gallagher's free taking had helped establish a 0-5 to 0-3 lead. DIT scored the last two points of the opening half however and then produced a good third quarter which saw them draw level at 1-9 to 0-12. NUIG were creaking, but the introduction of substitutes Kieran Molloy and Eoin Finnerty turned the tide and almost immediately Finnerty struck a huge blow for NUIG when he blasted home their second goal 12 minutes from time.
Corofin’s Kieran Molloy, who will miss Saturday’s final as he will be in action for his club in the All-Ireland semi-final, put NUIG four ahead but DIT got it back to two with points from Sean Hurley and Kilian O’Gara. Points from Enda Tierney and Adam Gallagher seemed to make the game safe for NUIG. However, NUIG had to endure a nervous finish when Conor Madden cut the gap to a goal for DIT. But NUIG held out during six minutes of stoppage time to book their place in the final.
Scorers – NUI Galway: A Gallagher 0-4 (2f); S Kelly, E Finnerty 1-0 each; R O’Toole, E Tierney (1 ‘45) 0-2 each; P Cooke, O Gallagher, D Comer, K Molloy 0-1 each. DIT: S Hurley 0-4 (4f); C Loftus 0-3 (1f); K O’Gara 0-2; B Howard, S Dempsey, R O’Brien, C O’Reilly, T Corcoran, C Madden 0-1 each.
NUI Galway – Tadhg O’Malley (Leitir Mor); Stephen Brennan (Mayo), Sean Mulkerrin (Oileain Arainn), Kevin McDonnell (Sligo); Colm Kelly (Donegal), Ruairi Greene (Killanin), Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch (Sligo); Cein D’Arcy (Caherlistrane), Peter Cooke (Moycullen); Enda Tierney (Oughterard), Owen Gallagher (Antrim), Adam Gallagher (Mayo); Brian Donovan (Limerick), Damien Comer (Annaghdown), Sean Kelly (Moycullen).
Subs: Ronan O’Toole (Westmeath) for S Kelly, Kieran Molloy (Corofin) for Donovan, Eoin Finnerty (Mountbellew Moylough) for O Gallagher, Ryan Forde (Annaghdown) for C Kelly, John Maher (Salthill Knocknacarra) for Greene.
Dublin Institute of Technology – L Stacey; A McGowan, B Power, R Shanahan; B Howard, R O’Brien, B Maher; T Corcoran, S Hurley; C Pearson, C Loftus, C Howley; C O’Reilly, D Kirby, S Dempsey. Subs: L Hughes for Dempsey, K O’Gara for Corcoran, L Hughes for Kirby, B Brennan for O’Reilly, D McAllister for Dempsey, C Madden for Loftus
Ref – Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)
