Moyna seeks way out as DCU suffer fixtures headache

DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY manager Niall Moyna was happy with this result, although it gives him a fixtures headache.

Yes, he had hoped to win. Yes they went to Páirc Tailteann at Saturday night with the expectation of victory. But given their lack of training, due to exams, he was surprised by the result.

Two goals from Sligo’s David Kelly eased the students past out of sorts Meath and set up an O’Byrne Cup final date with Kildare.

It has left his side facing a quandary.

Set to play the first round of the Sigerson Cup against Cork IT tomorrow week, they would have to pit their best players against the Lilywhites for the chance of silverware and play the biggest game of their season so far 48 hours later.

Given Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney’s reluctance to consider bringing the final back to midweek, Moyna and his squad may be forced to complete that marathon effort. But, if his appeals to the Leinster Council fall on deaf ears, he will put out his best possible.

“We’ll put our best team out, the best team we can possibly put out but we have to bear in mind that the Sigerson is our championship,” he said.

“We’re playing Cork IT, so it’s a very, very tough game for us. But we value being in this competition and we wouldn’t devalue it. We’d certainly put out an excellent team, there’s no doubt about that.”

“It was something he didn’t expect to face given who they were up against.

“To be honest, we’re a little bit surprised we won [against Meath]. We didn’t think we would, particularly with the way Meath played last week against Louth so it was something we hadn’t really thought about, but we’re going to have to give it serious thought now.”

Moyna said DCU only trained once last week though but they still had far too much pace, guile and, worryingly for Meath manager Seamus McEnaney, appetite, for the hosts.

Paddy Gilsenan’s form — he hit three points — was the one bright spark for Meath, though, on a disastrous night, the hosts managed just three points from play.

There was one potential window on the future as long-time full-back Kevin Reilly was played at midfield with Bryan Menton at number three, though neither particularly excelled.

DCU were simply too slick and, with players of the calibre of Dean Rock, Eoghan O’Gara, James McCarthy and Paul Flynn from Dublin along with Laois’ Colm Begley all in good form, they won at a canter.

“I suppose in the last couple of weeks we would have felt we won the physical stakes and that’s disappointing that we didn’t this time,” said McEnaney.

“Maybe a lot of it has to do with the frame of mind more than anything else. That’s certainly something we’ll be working on in the next two weeks.

“We’ve to come back here in two weeks’ time [to play Monaghan] in the National Football League and that’s going to be a big challenge for us. But I have no doubt that we’ll be up for it.”

McEnaney said player/selector Graham Geraghty will be fit after suffering a back injury that ruled him out against DCU while Cian Ward and Joe Sheridan will be available too.

Scorers for DCU: D Kelly 2-1, D Rock (2fs), C Begley 0-3 each, J Brady 0-1.

Scorers for Meath: P Gilsenan (2fs) 0-3, G Reilly (f), T Walsh, S Bray 0-1 each.

DCU: M Boyle; P McMahon, K Gavin, E Culligan; J McCarthy, J Cooper, N Collins; C Begley, F O Curraoin; F O’Shea, D Rock, G Sweeney; J Brady, E O’Gara, D Kelly.

Subs: P Flynn for O’Shea (23), D Keenan for Flynn (34-ht blood), Keenan for Sweeney (57), C Cafferkey for Culligan (59), P Dooney for Cooper (66), D Smith for Kelly (69).

MEATH: D Gallagher; M Burke, B Menton, G O’Brien; C McGuinness, S McAnarney, C O’Connor; M Ward, C Gillespie; B Meade, G Reilly, D Tobin; P Gilsenan, T Walsh, S Bray.

Subs: K Reilly for Ward (29), S Kenny for Tobin (ht), C Lenehan for McGuinness (48), D Smyth for Gillespie (61).

Referee: D Fahy (Longford).