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NUIG edge out DIT in cracking Sigerson Cup semi-final

NUIG v DIT

Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup semi-final

NUI GALWAY 2-12 DIT 0-15

By John Fallon at St Loman’s GAA club in Mullingar

NUIG and DIT served up a cracking Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup semi-final in heavy rain in Mullingar but in the end it was the Galway college who booked their place in Saturday’s final.

NUIG, seeking to get to the final for the first time since 2003, never trailed during the contest but still had to withstand a late rally from DIT.

DIT were boosted by the inclusion of Brian Howard for his first Sigerson Cup action of the season and he provided a big influence around the middle of the field.

NUIG led by 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval with Galway’s Sean Kelly crashing home a superb goal two minutes from the break.

They started well with Owen Gallagher and Adam Gallagher getting them off the mark with good points in the opening nine minutes.

Howard got DIT off the mark after ten minutes when he went forward to shoot a good score before Enda Tierney and Shane Dempsey exchanged points, and then Adam Gallagher and Sean Hurley did likewise.

Galway midfielder Peter Cooke landed a good point but Wickow’s Ross O’Brien soloed forward to cancel it.

Conor Loftis tied the match six minutes from the break but then after Adam Gallagher pointed for NUIG, Kelly struck for a fine goal.

However, DIT hauled cut the gap before the break with frees from either side from Loftus and Hurley.

DIT produced a good third quarter which saw them draw level at 1-9 to 0-12 but then Eoin Finnerty struck a huge blow for NUIG when he blasted home their second goal twelve 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 but a late Conor Madden point for DIT ensured a nervous finish but the Galway college held out for a deserved success.

Scorers for NUI Galway: Adam Gallagher 0-4 (0-2f), Sean Kelly 1-0, Eoin Finnerty 1-0, Ronan O’Toole 0-2, Enda Tierney 0-2 (0-1 ’45), Peter Cooke 0-1, Owen Gallagher 0-1, Damien Comer 0-1, Kieran Molloy 0-1.

Scorers for DIT: Sean Hurley 0-4 (0-4f), Conor Loftus 0-3 (0-1f), Killian O’Gara 0-2, Brian Howard 0-1, Shane Dempsey 0-1, Ross O’Brien 0-1, Caoimhin O’Reilly 0-1, Thomas Corcoran 0-1, Conor Madden 0-1

NUI GALWAY: Tadhg O’Malley (Galway); Stephen Brennan (Mayo), Sean Mulkerrin (Galway), Kevin McDonnell (Sligo); Colm Kelly (Donegal), Ruairi Greene (Galway), Gerard O’Kelly Lynch (Sligo); Céin D’Arcy (Galway), Peter Cooke (Galway); Enda Tierney (Galway), Owen Gallagher (Antrim), Adam Gallagher (Mayo); Brian Donovan (Limerick), Damien Comer (Galway), Sean Kelly (Galway). Subs: Ronan O’Toole (Westmeath) for S Kelly (32), Kieran Molloy (Galway) for Donovan (42), Eoin Finnerty (Galway) for O Gallagher (43), Ryan Forde (Galway) for C Kelly (48), John Maher (Galway) for Greene (59).

DUBLIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: Lee Stacey (Dublin); Andrew McGowan (Dublin), Brian Power (Meath), Ronan Shanahan (Kerry); Brian Howard (Dublin), Rossa O’Brien (Wicklow), Bill Maher (Tipperary); Tomás Corcoran (Roscommon), Seán Hurley (Kildare); Callum Pearson (Dublin), Conor Loftus (Mayo), Cormac Howley (Dublin); Caomhin O’Reilly (Cavan), Danny Kirby (Mayo), Shane Dempsey (Westmeath). **Subs: **Liam Hughes (Longford) for Dempsey (BC 22), Killian O’Gara (Dublin) for Corcoran (42), Liam Hughes (Longford) for Kirby (42), Ben Brennan (Meath) for O’Reilly (57), David McAllister (Monaghan) for Dempsey (57), Conor Madden (Cavan) for Loftus (59).

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).