NUIM best in tame affair

FORMER Galway All-Ireland winner John Divilly’s run of success with NUI Maynooth continued at Belfield yesterday afternoon as he guided the Kildare college to their second successive Sigerson Cup semi-final.

The match proved to be a disappointing affair, as clearly evidenced by its low-scoring nature, but that will not perturb NUI Maynooth. They will be the outsiders entering the semi-final stage, yet will look forward to renewing acquaintances with UUJ after claiming a sensational victory against the Northerners in last season’s quarter-finals.

NUI Maynooth grew in stature as the tie progressed with Kildare’s Conor Brophy producing a storming display at midfield, while Laois senior Paul Cahillane and 2010 Dublin All-Ireland U21 winner David Quinn both sparkling in attack.

UL failed to replicate the brilliance that had seen them overturn a fancied Dublin IT team in the previous round. They struggled greatly in front of goal as illustrated by their paltry total of 1-2 and in the final 45 minutes of the game, they could only muster one point.

Kerry senior David Moran, star of the show against DIT when he struck 1-6, endured a hugely frustrating afternoon in his shooting from frees and open play. The loss of Galway’s Sean Armstrong with a hamstring injury midway through the first-half was a huge blow for UL as well.

UL led 1-1 to 0-3 at half-time but given their superiority they should have been further ahead as several chances were frittered away in front of goal. The green flag had been raised by Moran in the 7th minute as he expertly finished to the net but in the 19th minute he was denied a second goal when referee Ciarán Brannigan deemed him to be in the square after palming home an Armstrong cross.

NUI Maynooth’s resilience surfaced in the second-half as they began to cope better with the loss of injured stars like Meath’s Michael Newman and Davy Dalton. A brace of points by David Quinn put them into a 0-5 to 1-1 lead by the 44th minute and they were never overhauled on the scoreboard after that.

Paul Kennelly registered UL’s first score in 35 minutes when he converted a 50th minute free but the placed ball marksmanship of Cahillane and Quinn in the closing stages proved pivotal. NUI Maynooth were also grateful to a magnificent block down by substitute William Ryan which denied Jack Sherwood a late goal for UL.

Scorers for NUI Maynooth: P Cahillane (0-3 frees), D Quinn (Na Fianna) (0-2 frees) 0-3 each; B Mitchell (0-1 free), K O’Brien, D Quinn (Lucan Sarsfields) (0-1 free) 0-1 each.

Scorers for UL: D Moran 1-0; B Fox, P Kennelly (one free) 0-1 each.

NUI MAYNOOTH: S Connolly (Kildare); K O’Brien (Kildare), D Booth (Laois), C Freeman (Dublin); T Gallagher (Longford), D Quinn (Dublin – Lucan Sarsfields), P Ó’Conghaile (Galway); C Brophy (Kildare), C Berrigan (Meath); F Barry (Kildare), M Hanratty (Monaghan), B Mitchell (Laois); P Cahillane (Laois), G McIntyre (Dublin), D Quinn (Dublin – Na Fianna).

Subs: C Mallon (Meath) for Hanratty (42), C Mullins (Dublin) for Mitchell (45), N Murphy (Meath) for McIntyre (47), W Ryan (Meath) for Gallagher (52), A Behan (Kildare) for Cahillane (inj) (59).

UL: J Lyster (Kildare); D O’Sullivan (Cork), M Dalton (Westmeath), M Culloty (Kerry); D Rattigan (Galway), N Coyne (Galway), S Hickey (Limerick); A Maher (Kerry), D Niblock (Cork); M Geaney (Kerry), A O’Donovan (Kerry), B Fox (Tipperary); C Dempsey (Mayo), D Moran (Kerry), S Armstrong (Galway).

Subs: P Austin (Tipperary) for Dempsey (15), P Kennelly (Kerry) for Armstrong (inj) (27), J Lyne (Kerry) for Rattigan (38), J Sherwood (Kerry) for Fox (44).

Referee: Ciarán Brannigan (Down).