NUI Galway 0-18
MTU Kerry 0-15
(after extra-time)
John Keogh reports from Rathkeale
NUI GALWAY ARE into the Sigerson Cup following a thrilling 0-18 to 0-15 semi-final extra time win over MTU Kerry at Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.
Matthew Tierney starred for NUIG with 0-8 from a game that saw four MTU Kerry players sent off. Evan Looney was sent off in regular time, while Dara Moynihan, Jack Savage and Tony Brosnan were all given their marching orders in the late stages of extra time.
Brosnan and Savage scored 14 points for a MTU Kerry outfit that were never able to get any sort of rhythm going throughout.
Brosnan got the scoring underway with two frees in quick succession but Tierney soon levelled with a placed ball and a fine effort from play before MTU Kerry went two clear again courtesy of two more Brosnan frees.
However, NUIG settled with a Tomo Culhane free and a fisted point from corner forward Cathal Sweeney that levelled the game for a second time.
An Eoghan Kelly mark put NUIG in front for the first time with 20 minutes on the clock and a superb left footed point from Gavin Burke saw the Galway college to a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at half-time.
Two more Brosnan frees squared the game once more early in the second half but Tony Gill and two from Tierney saw NUIG take control.
Culhane stretched the advantage to five with two placed balls and things looked bleak for the Aidan O’Mahony managed MTU Kerry side.
There was a sting in the tail though with Jack Savage showing nerves of steel to score five times in the remaining stages to force extra time.
Paul Kelly started the scoring in extra time for NUIG with Gill and two Tierney efforts putting them 0-15 to 0-12 to the good at half-time in extra time.
With MTU Kerry looking dead and buried once more, Brosnan led the comeback with a pair of frees and another Savage placed ball saw the game level for a fifth time.
However, NUIG were not to be deterred with Tierney (2) and Culhane sealing the three-point victory before the game finished in chaos with a flurry of red cards.
Scorers for NUIG: Matthew Tierney 0-8 (5f), Tomo Culhane 0-4 (3f), Tony Gill 0-2, Cathal Sweeney, Eoghan Kelly (mark), Gavin Burke and Paul Kelly 0-1 each
Scorers for MTU Kerry: Tony Brosnan 0-8 (8f), Jack Savage 0-6 (4f), Tomas Ó Sé 0-1
NUIG
1. Conor Carroll (Oranmore-Maree, Roscommon)
2. Colin Murray (Mountbellew-Moylough, Galway), 3. Neil Mulcahy (Moycullen, Galway), 4. Gavin Burke (Corofin, Galway)
5. Rory Egan (Edenderry, Offaly), 6. Eoghan Kelly (Moycullen,Galway), 7 Nathan Mullen (Coolaney-Mullinabreena, Sligo).
8. Paul Kelly (Moycullen, Galway), 9: Sean Kelly (Moycullen, Galway).
21: Gavin Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo), 11: Matthew Tierney (Oughterard, Galway),) 12: Cathal Donoghue (Kilcormac-Killoughey, Offaly)
13: Tomo Culhane (Salthill-Knocknacarra, Galway), 14: Fionn McDonagh (Westport, Mayo), 15: Cathal Sweeney (Claregalway, Galway)
Subs
10: Tony Gill (Corofin, Galway) for Mullen (41)
19: Ryan Monaghan (Oughterard, Galway) for Donoghue (51)
23: Mark McInerney (Eire Og, Clare) for McDonagh (64
27: Paddy O’Donnell (Galway) for Mulcahy (67)
14: Fionn McDonagh for Durcan (73).
MTU Kerry
DIFFERENTLY
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1: Keith O’Leary (Kilcummin, Kerry)
2: Michael Potts (Dr Crokes, Kerry), 3: Tomas O’Connor (Ballymacelligott, Kerry), 4: Dean Carew (Upperchurch-Drombane, Tipperary).
5: Evan Looney (Dr Crokes, Kerry), 17: Greg Horan (Austin Stacks, Kerry), 7: Fionán Mackessy (Ardfert, Kerry).
8: Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes, Kerry), 9: Darragh Lyne (Legion, Kerry).
10: Paul O’Shea (Kilcummin, Kerry), 11: Tomás Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht, Kerry), 12: Dara Moynihan (Spa Killarney, Kerry).
13: Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys, Kerry), 14: Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes, Kerry), 18: Mark Ryan (Rathmore, Kerry).
Subs:
19: Gary Vaughan (Spa Killarney, Kerry) for O’Connor (50)
15: Ryan O’Grady (Legion, Kerry) for Paul O’Shea (50)
21: Jack Foster (Portarlington, Laois) for Ó Sé (68)
20: Anthony Darmody (Rathmore, Kerry) for Ryan (72)
10: Paul O’Shea for Carew (Inj, 74)
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).