Maurice Sheridan pleased as NUIG ease past Trinity

NUI Galway 4-12 Trinity College 1-7: NUI Galway manager Maurice Sheridan was pleased with his side’s efforts as they eased past Trinity College in the preliminary round of the Sigerson Cup at Dangan in Galway.

First-half goals from Sean Kelly and Adam Gallagher were added to in the second-half by Colm Kelly and Matt McClean as NUIG ran out comfortable victors.

Trinity College found it tough going, and had to wait until the 18th minute for their first point – Bryan Magee scored a free – and despite a goal from James Guinness in the second-half, they fell to defeat.

NUI Galway haven’t won a Sigerson Cup title since 2003, but with ace Galway attacker Damien Comer up front they always look dangerous, and he was pivotal in this game.

“We are reasonably happy to be honest. The lads played well enough but still it wasn’t a great performance either,” said Sheridan.

NUIG went 2-3 to 0-0 up after 16 minutes, Sean Kelly and Adam Gallagher goaling – Gallagher’s penalty came after Jack Bell foot-blocked Stephen Conroy in the ninth minute. They were eight clear at the break and further goals from Colm Kelly and McClean, cancelled out the effort from Guinness.

“When it comes to that level the quality matters and we didn’t have it,” said Trinity manager Conor Laverty.

Scorers for NUI Galway:

A Gallagher 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), S Kelly 1-2, M McClean 1-1 (0-1f), C Kelly 1-0, D Comer 0-1, S Conroy 0-1, K McDonnell 0-1, E Tierney 0-1, M Daly 0-1.

Scorers for Trinity:

J Guinness 1-1, D Brady 0-2, B Magee 0-1f, R McCullagh 0-1, C O’Donoghue 0-1, J Bell 0-1.

NUI GALWAY:

T O’ Malley (Galway); S Brennan (Mayo), E O’Donoghue (Mayo), A O’Connor (Kerry); S Kelly (Galway), K McDonnell (Sligo), L Burke (Galway); E Tierney (Galway), P Cooke (Galway); S Conroy (Mayo), M Daly (Galway), A Gallagher (Mayo); R Greene (Galway), D Comer (Galway), O Gallagher (Antrim).

Subs:

G O’Kelly Lynch (Sligo) for O’Connor (30), C Kelly (Donegal) for McDonnell (30), M McClean (Donegal) for O Gallagher (49), R Forde (Galway) for S Kelly (53), K Quinn (Mayo) for Comer (58), C Bonner (Donegal) for A Gallagher (58).

TRINITY COLLEGE:

L Brady (Cavan); M Shorthall (Down), K Beirne (Roscommon), J Bell (Dublin); D Quinn (Meath), T McGahern (Cavan), J Guinness (Down); P Kelly (Mayo), D Bootham (Wicklow); S Ward (Dublin), C O’Driscoll (Cork), C O’Donoghue (Kildare); D Brady (Dublin), B Magee (Cavan), R McCullagh (Meath).

Subs:

M Shiel (Dublin) for L Brady (30), S Owens (Dublin) for O’Driscoll (35), J Cox (Dublin) for Shorthall (45), J Byrne Meath) for Kelly (45).

Referee:

Marty Duffy (Sligo).