Conor Corbett leads the way in deserving DCU triumph

ON THE MARK: Conor Corbett of DCU and Cork. Pic: Eóin Noonan, Sportsfile

DCU 1-14 IT Carlow 2-8 

Dublin City University kept their Sigerson Cup hopes alive thanks to this hard-fought second-round victory over the home side at the SETU Carlow Campus.

The visitors always seemed to have a little bit in hand but they had to withstand a late Carlow rally and were mightily relieved to hear the full-time whistle. 

In freezing conditions, the eventual winners were quickly into their stride with Joseph Hagan’s point opening the scoring. It looked ominous for Carlow when Conor Corbett took his mark and promptly lashed the ball to the net. 

With Corbett in good form, the DCU lead went out to 1-6 to 0-3. 

The Barrowsiders gave themselves something to aim for as Adam Steed scored an opportunist goal when the ball fell nicely into his hands on the edge of the small square. At the interval, DCU looked to have regained control when leading 1-10 to 1-3.

Minutes into the second period, Carlow found the net once more. This time a pass from the end-line at the town end of the ground picked out Fionn Cooke and the Raheens club man fired home.

The home side had the momentum but didn’t make it pay. Kevin Swayne added a point to leave only three in it with over a quarter of the contest to go. Having lost Cian Farrell to a black card just before the break, the home team did well with their reduced number. 

Back to fifteen Steed’s point going into the closing stages gave Carlow something to aim for.

With time running out the DCU lead was down to two points and it was the turn of the Dubliners to lose a player to a black card. 

With Carlow throwing everything into the final stages, it was desperate times for the visitors. Paraic Hughes was joined in the sin-bin by Joseph Hagan as the Dubliners put players behind the ball to absorb the pressure.

It was all Carlow in the final minutes but they couldn’t find a way through the blanket defence in front of goal. A break or two could well have changed the final result but DCU kept their concentration, crowded the ball carriers and emerged narrow but deserving winners.

DCU: Cian McGuinness (Longford Slashers); Bryan Masterson (Abbeylara), Dean Robertson (Ballymun Kickhams), Jamie Grant (Termon); Ruairi Keane (0-1, Mayo Gaels), Paraic Hughes (0-1, Kilanerin), Ciaran Caulfield (Trim); Matthew Costello (0-3fs, Dunshaughlin GAA), Ryan Donohoe (Gowna); Shane O’Donnell (0-2, St Eunans), Shane Walsh (0-1f, Na Fianna CLG), Keelin McGann (Kenagh GAA); Dylan McKeown (Dundalk Gaels), Joseph Hagan (0-3, Dromard GAA) Conor Corbett (1-3, 1-1mark 0-1f, Clyda Rovers). 

Subs: Tomas Crean (Creggs) for Grant (45), Sean Fitzgerald (Barna) for McKeown (51), Lee Deignan (Shamrock Gaels) for McGann (52), Kevin Quinn (Blessington) for Costello (54).

SETU CARLOW: Kuba Budzisz (Bagenalstown Gaels); Pauric O’Shea (Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels) Mark Furey (Éire Óg), Ethan Mountaine (Sarsfields); Conor McWey (Ballyroan), Eoin Hackett (0-1, St Fechins). Daniel Wyer (Durrow); Kevin Swayne (0-1, Portlaoise), Darren McDermott (St Mary’s Leixlip); Adam Steed (1-2, St Laurences), Oisin McGraynor (Avondale), Colm Hulton (Éire Óg); Kieran Dowd (Menlough), Cian Farrell (0-4 45 1f, Edenderry), Michael Roarty (Gaoth Dobhair). 

Subs: Fionn Cooke (1-0, McDermott h/t), Paraic Deering (Rathvilly) for O’Shea (52), Mikey Lynam (St Josephs) for Hackett (53), Tommy Gill (Carbury) for Wyer (59).

Referee: Brendan Mulhare (Kildare).