Maynooth get lost in the fog as TUS Midlands deliver Sigerson Cup shock

After Saturday night clash goes ahead despite dense and heavy fog descending on venue in Athlone, the hosts persevere after extra time 

LEADING MAN: Meath's Eoghan Frayne excelled up top of Maynooth. File pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup: TUS MIDLANDS 2-18 UNIVERSITY OF MAYNOOTH 0-21 (AET) 

TUS Midlands delivered the first shock of this year’s Sigerson Cup when they kicked the last four points of regulation time to force an additional 20 minutes, then fired the last three points of extra-time to overturn University of Maynooth in a surprisingly entertaining contest, given the heavy fog that descended on the Midlands.

With both sides due to play midweek in the next round and no danger to players as a result of the conditions, referee Aaron Clogher made the call to proceed with the game and while poor visibility led to a high number of unforced errors, the pace of the contest was excellent and it evolved into a thrilling encounter.

Visibility was particularly poor in the first half, when goals from Oisín Flynn and the impressive Brían Cooney helped the home side to move seven points clear, 2-3 to 0-2.

The Meath contingent on the University of Maynooth side took over however, with Seán Emmanuel kicking two sublime points before half-time, helping to reduce the gap to four points, 2-4 to 0-6.

Cooney opened the scoring in the second half, but Maynooth took over from there, kicking ten of the next 11 points. Eoghan Frayne was outstanding up front, but Emmanuel, Conor Duke, Tom Moran and substitute Geordi O’Meara all made big plays in the middle third to help load the bullets for the Summerhill full-forward.

There was still four in it when Brian O’Halloran came forward to fire over with five minutes to play, but Athlone delivered a big finish, culminating in a pressure free from Declan Kenny in the fifth minute of stoppage time to force overtime.

David Martin’s side kept it going in the additional 20 minutes when they outscored Maynooth by 0-7 to 0-4, kicking the last three points through Brandon Kelly, Matthew Whittaker and Cillian Hunt to secure their progression through to a clash with MTU Cork next week.

For University of Maynooth, they have a chance to recover against ATU Donegal in a home tie where they will hope to welcome back Kildare forward Paddy McDermott, but the pressure is on as that will double as the relegation final.

Scorers for TUS Midlands: M Gibbons 0-7f, B Cooney 1-3, O Flynn 1-1, M Whittaker 0-3, D Flynn 0-1, D Kenny 0-1f, B Kelly 0-1, C Hunt 0-1f.

Scorers for University of Maynooth: E Frayne 0-8 (0-3f), C Duke 0-3, L Crowley 0-3, K McArdle 0-3 (0-1 45), E Emmanuel 0-2, N Aherne 0-1, B O’Halloran 0-1.

TUS MIDLANDS: E Moran (Maryland, Westmeath); J Dowd (Annaghdown, Galway), J Gahan (Coralstown-Kinnegad, Westmeath) , D McVann (Summerhill, Meath); O Kenny, D Kenny (Pádraig Pearses, Roscommon), M Whittaker (Tubberclair, Westmeath); S Kelly (Mountbellew-Moylough, Galway), S Finn (Ballinabrackey, Meath); O Flynn (Castleconnor, Sligo), S Fleming (Coralstown-Kinnegad, Westmeath), B Cooney (Coralstown-Kinnegad, Westmeath); B Kelly (Milltownpass, Westmeath), M Gibbons (Garrymore, Mayo), D Flynn (Ferbane, Offaly).

SUBS: C Plunkett (St. Loman’s, Westmeath) for Fleming (46), C Hunt (Round Towers Clondalkin, Dublin) for O Kenny (52), P Carton (Kilbeggan Shamrocks, Westmeath) for D Flynn (54), P Quinn (Coralstown-Kinnegad, Westmeath) for Finn (58), D Flynn for Gibbons (80).

UNIVERSITY OF MAYNOOTH (Kildare unless stated): E Sheehan (Johnstownbridge); S O’Hare (Rathkenny, Meath), T McPhillips (Latton, Monaghan), B O’Halloran (Ballivor, Meath); D Scahill (Shandonagh, Westmeath), T Moran (Dunlavin, Wicklow), J Harris (Castlemitchell); C Gray (Dunshaughlin, Meath), S Emmanuel (St. Patrick’s Stamullen, Meath); H Plunkett (Tullamore, Offaly), K McArdle (St. Bride’s, Louth), C Duke (Dunshaughlin, Meath); N Aherne (Naas), E Frayne (Summerhill, Meath), L Crowley (Glenflesk, Kerry).

SUBS: O Grufferty (St. Laurence’s) for Scahill (h-t), F Ó Giolláin (Maynooth) for Grey (h-t), G O’Meara (Ballinagar, Offaly) for Aherne (50), C McGuinness (St. Patrick’s, Louth) for Crowley (58), C Daly (Coralstown-Kinnegad, Westmeath) for Plunkett (60+3), H Plunkett for Daly (f-t), R Fitzgerald (Naas) for McGuinness (f-t), C Grey for Plunkett (67), L Crowley for O’Hare (70), C Daly for Ó Giolláin (76).

Referee: A Clogher (Roscommon).