St Marys Belfast kick off Sigerson Cup with comfortable win over Carlow 

Their victory was a fully merited one. 

St Mary’s Belfast came away from this difficult Sigerson Cup first-round away assignment with a fully merited victory. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Sigerson Cup round one 

St Marys Belfast 0-14 SETU Carlow 0-8

St Mary’s Belfast came away from this difficult Sigerson Cup first-round away assignment with a fully merited victory after they pulled away from the home side in the second half.

In the opening period, Carlow looked to have the upper hand with Colm Hulton and Cian Farrell raising white flags. The visitors hit back and in a sign of things to come as Sean Rock and Conor McConville pointed to draw the sides level.

Carlow enjoyed a purple patch when Farrell, Eoin Murtagh and Farrell again all pointed to put SETU three points clear. Carlow had a player black carded and while the fourteen men did well, it brought the northern side onto them.

They outscored Carlow by 0-3 to 0-1 in the final ten minutes of the half with Cormac Murphy’s two late points in the half saw the Northerners going in leading 0-7 to 0-6 at the interval. In fact, Carlow almost stole in for a goal late in the first half but Adam Steed was forced wide at the town end of the ground and was unable to squeeze the ball between the two posts.

Just as they did in the first half, Carlow started the second well. Rock pointed for the visitors but Hulton and Farrell were on the mark to draw the sides level yet again.

Michael McCarville rampaged forward on 34 minutes and his point gave St Mary’s a lead they were never to relinquish. Danny Magee added two more and the visitors were on their way. Carlow hardly threatened for the remainder of the contest. Conor McConville knocked over his third free which pushed the winners four clear and pushed them into the insurance score situation.

They didn’t relent from there. The Carlow forwards lived on scraps and never looked like adding to their total. Matt Og McGleenan got in on the scoring act which saw four of the starting Mary’s forwards scoring from play. Shane Donnelly came in as a sub and his hard work was rewarded with another point. There was never any way back for Carlow and no doubt the journey back to Belfast for the winners will be a sweet one.

Scorers St Marys: Sean Rock 0-4 (2fs), Conor McConville 0-3(fs), Danny Magee, Cormac Murphy 0-2 each, Michael McCarville, Shane Donnelly, Matt Og McGleenan 0-1 each.

Scorers for SETU Carlow: Cian Farrell 0-4 (3fs), Eoin Murtagh, Colm Hulton 0-2 each.

St Marys: Charlie Smyth (Mayobridge St Patricks Down), Conan Milne (Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Derry), Darragh Trainor (Tyholland Monaghan), McDarragh Hynes (Kilcoo Eoghan Rua Down), Cormac McGettigan (O’Donovan Ross Belfast Antrim), Michael McCallan (Carrickmore Naomh Colmcille Tyrone), Danny Magee (Clann Eireann Armagh), Michael McCarville (Scotstown Monaghan), Cormac Smyth (Mullaghbawn Cuchullains Armagh), Sean Rock (Silverbridge Harps Armagh), Matt Og McGleenan (Eglish St Patricks Tyrone), Conor McConville (Clann Eireann Armagh), Dara O’Callaghan (Crossmaglen Rangers Armagh), Cormac Murphy (O’Donovan Rossa Magherfelt Derry), Jude Campbell (Pomeroy Plunkett’s Tyrone). 

Subs: Ronan McGrath (Burren St Mary’s Down) for O’Callaghan (38), Sean Quigley (Clonmore Robert Emmetts Armagh) for Campbell (50), Louis Hughes (Granemore St Marys Armagh) for Magee (53), Shane Donnelly (Collegeland O’Rahillys Armagh) for Cormac Smyth (58), Dara Joe Martin (Loup St Patricks Derry) for McGettigan (60) 

SETU Carlow: Matthew Byron (Courtwood Laois), Padraig O’Shea (Liscarroll Churchtown Gael Cork), Jack Donoghue (Bannow Ballymitty Wexford), Paraic Deering (Rathvilly Carlow), Sean Cassidy (Sean O’Mahonys Louth), Eoin Murtagh (Dunlavin Wicklow), Conor Doyle (Rathvilly Carlow), Eoin Hackett (St Fechins Louth), Darren McDermott (St Mary’s Leixlip Kildare), Josh Moore (Rathvilly Carlow), Cian Farrell (Edenderry Offaly), Daragh Galvin (Portarlington Laois), Michael Lynam (St Joseph’s Westmeath), Adam Steed (St Laurences Kildare), Colm Hulton (Éire Óg Carlow). 

Subs: Michael Staunton (St Josephs Louth) for O’Shea (36), Peter O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers Cork) for Galvin (45), Cian Maher (Carrickmacross Emmets Monaghan) for Cassidy (54), Olin Barry (Carrigaline Cork) for McDermott (56).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)