NUI Galway pass test of resolve to reach another Sigerson final

Westerners emerge on top after extra-time encounter with MTU Tralee 

NUI Galway will now bid for their first Sigerson Cup title in 19 years next Wednesday against UL. 

Sigerson Cup semi-final

NUI Galway 0-18 

MTU Kerry 0-15 (AET) 

Eoghan Cormican 

Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale Is there no obstacle this NUIG team cannot overcome?

Where in previous rounds it was the depth of Maurice Sheridan’s panel that was rigorously tested following season-ending injuries to Galway full-back Séan Mulkerrin and Mayo All-Star nomination Tommy Conroy, in yesterday evening’s absorbing semi-final it was their mental fortitude that was put under the microscope.

You see, NUIG had this game won with four minutes of regulation time remaining in the second-half. Tomo Culhane had just swung over his third free of proceedings and NUIG’s fifth point on the bounce to leave the students from the west 0-11 to 0-6 clear.

Their opponents, meanwhile, had managed only one point from play in the preceding 56 minutes and had not managed any score at all for going on a quarter of an hour.

All that was left to debate on this cold night in Limerick was the final size of the semi-final statement NUIG were so impressively going about making. Sheridan’s charges broke at pace, were aggressive on the opposition restart, and, unlike Tralee, were not reliant on any one individual to keep their account ticking over. Séan Mulkerrin and Tommy who?

And then, from absolutely nowhere, MTU Kerry began to slowly wriggle free from NUIG’s grasp. They began to slowly resurrect what looked to everyone else an unrevivable cause.

A Jack Savage free on 56 minutes both ended their barren spell and began what transpired to be a truly remarkable comeback. There followed two points in less than a minute just shy of the hour mark to narrow the margin to two. Included in this pair was a Mark O’Shea punched effort that represented their first score from play since the fourth minute of the first-half.

A Savage point on 61 minutes meant the minimum was now all that separated them, Galway players in disbelief at the near eradication of what they thought - what we all thought - was an unassailable lead.

A Tony Brosnan off-target equalising attempt appeared to spell an unsuccessful end to the MTU Kerry comeback, but what nobody had factored in was the six minutes of injury-time that referee Jonathan Hayes found from God only knows where. And it was in the sixth minute of stoppages when Savage once again, following a foul on the danger-wrecking Tony Brosnan, split the posts and sent this semi-final to extra-time.

MTU Kerry, having wiped out NUIG's five-point lead with only 14 men after Evan Looney was sent off on 54 minutes, were back to their full complement for extra-time. Momentum sat firmly with Aidan O’Mahony’s charges.

As for Sheridan’s Galway, could they pick themselves up off the floor after failing to protect a five-point advantage so late in the game? Could they what.

The outstanding Paul Kelly, super sub Tony Gill, and top-scorer Matthew Tierney (0-2) all found the mark in the first period of extra-time to send NUIG four back in front. It was as if the last 10 minutes of normal time had been nothing other than a small blip in a fixture otherwise controlled by them. And having quickly overcome this wobble, NUIG wasted absolutely no time at all in restoring normal service.

The one man they couldn’t control all evening long was Tony Brosnan and his sixth free just before the quick turnaround left the scoreboard reading 0-15 to 0-12, as well as leaving a smidgen of doubt over the outcome.

Three more placed-ball efforts from Brosnan and Savage tied matters at 0-15 apiece on 76 minutes. Penalties, perhaps? Not a chance. NUIG yet again showed their resolve in the face of this latest MTU Kerry fightback, reeling off three in quick succession from Tierney (two frees) and Tomo Culhane.

It was enough to finally break their opponents, who finished with 12 after Dara Moynihan, Jack Savage, and Tony Brosnan were sent off for separate incidents at the death.

Sean Kelly is the sole survivor from the NUIG team that narrowly lost the 2018 final. He and his teammates will chase the college’s first Sigerson title in 19 years next Wednesday.

Given all they’ve overcome to date, it’ll take something special to stop them.

Scorers for NUI Galway: M Tierney (0-8, 0-5 frees); T Culhane (0-4, 0-3 frees); P Kelly (0-1 mark), T Gill (0-2 each); G Burke, C Sweeney (0-1 each).

Scorers for MTU Kerry: T Brosnan (0-8, 0-8 frees); J Savage (0-5, 0-4 frees, 0-1); T Ó Sé, M O’Shea (0-1 each).

NUI GALWAY (Galway unless stated): C Carroll (Oranmore/Maree); C Murray (Mountbellew/Moylough), N Mulcahy (Moycullen), S Kelly (Moycullen); N Mullen (Mullinabreena, Sligo), E Kelly (Moycullen), R Egan (Edenderry, Offaly); P Kelly (Moycullen), M Tierney (Oughterard); F McDonagh (Westport, Mayo), G Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels, Mayo), C Donoghue (Kilcormac/Killoughey, Offaly); G Burke (Corofin), T Culhane (Salthill/Knocknacarra), C Sweeney (Claregalway).

Subs: T Gill (Corofin) for Mullen (41 mins); R Monaghan (Oughterard) for Donoghue (59); M McInerney (Éire Óg, Ennis, Clare) for McDonagh (60); P O’Donnell (Oileáin Arainn) for Mulcahy (67); F McDonagh (Westport, Mayo) for Durcan (75).

MTU KERRY (Kerry unless stated): K O’Leary (Kilcummin); D Carew (Upperchurch-Drombane, Tipperary), T O’Connor (Ballymacelligott), M Potts (Dr Crokes); E Looney (Dr Crokes), F Mackessy (Ardfert), D Lyne (Legion); M O’Shea (Dr Crokes), M Ryan (Rathmore); G Horan (Austin Stacks), J Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys), D Moynihan (Spa); P O’Shea (Kilcummin), T Brosnan (Dr Crokes), T Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht).

Subs: R O’Grady (Legion) for P O’Shea, G Vaughan (Spa) for O’Connor (both 51 mins); J Foster (Portarlington, Laois) for Ó Sé (68); A Darmody (Rathmore) for Ryan (73); P O’Shea (Kilcummin) for Carew (75).

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick).