Wednesday's Independent.ie Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups round-up

Independent.ie Sigerson Cup Results

DCU Dchas ireann 3-10 Queens 0-3

NUI Galway 4-12 Trinity College 1-7

University of Limerick 3-19 Maynooth University 4-15 AET

Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup Results

NUI Galway 4-14 DCU St.Patricks Campus 1-12

By Gavin Cawley

Last years beaten Sigerson Cup finalists, DCU Dchas ireann, booked a place in next round as they eased to a comfortable 3-10 to 0-3 victory over Queens University.

The Belfast side were the first team on the score-board, but DCU dominated the remainder of the opening half as they scored six points without reply.

Queens struggled to contain DCU attackers Enda Smith, Niall Murphy and Ryan Burns, but did manage to close the gap to four points before half-time thanks to a score from Donegals Marty OReilly.

DCU Dchas ireann completely dominated the second half though as a 39th minute goal from Louth-man Burns set them on their way.

Two further goals followed from Smith and Murphy with a Jack Dowling point the only score Queens managed for the entirety of the second-half.

NUIG are also through to the next round after a convincing 4-12 to 1-7 victory over Trinity College. The Galway students started brightly as Sean Kelly netted the opening goal in the very first minute.

His goal was matched by Adam Gallagher who hit the back of the net from the penalty spot after Stephen Conroys shot on goal had been foot-blocked. Gallagher added a free and a point from play and when Michael Daly struck the ball over the bar, it was 2-3 to no score.

Trinity eventually got off the mark through Bryan McGee with James Guinness and Dylan Brady following suit to give the Dublin outfit three points without reply.

Adam Gallagher was having an outstanding game for NUIG and set up midfielder Enda Tierney for a point before grabbing another of his own. Dylan Brady responded with a well taken point for Trinity but just on the stroke of half time, Michael Daly curled over a beauty to leave it 2-6 to 0-4 at the break.

NUIG picked up where they had left off at the start of the second-half.

Tierney collected the restarting ball before feeding Gallagher who assisted Damien Comer in his only point of the day.

NUIG student Damien Comer pictured at the Independent.ie Sigerson Cup launch.

Stephen Conroy nailed another for NUIG soon after and with ten points between the teams in the 40th minute, the tie was all but finished.

Ruairi Greene was then unlucky not to grab himself a goal after his bullet of a shot was saved by Trinity Keeper Liam Brady. Trinity had a goal chance of their own minutes later but Guinness shot was saved on the line by Stephen Brennan.

It was only a matter of time before more goals did come and come they duly did. Adam Gallagher and Stephen Conroy combined well for the Maroon and White before squaring the ball to substitute Colm Kelly who fisted into the net.

James Guinness rattled the net for Trinity from the restart with a fine taken goal but it too was cancelled out soon after. Peter Cooke drove in a high ball towards Comer who broke it down for Matt McClean who had the easy task of slotting the ball home. Three Trinity points closed the show but they were comprehensively beaten by a strong NUIG team who march on to the next round for a showdown with St. Marys.

Jack Goulding kicked a dramatic winning point for UL as they came from 10 points in arrears at one stage to overcome Maynooth University after extra time today.

Goals from Ryan ORourke and Meath ace Joey Wallace had helped Maynooth University into a 2-4 0-5 lead at the end of the first half of normal time. Wallace netted again early in the second half before Daniel Flynn added a fourth Maynooth goal with a wonderful individual score to leave the visitors ten clear. Limerick hit back quickly though with a goal from Gearoid Hegarty to bring them right back into the game.

Limerick dominated the remaining twenty minutes of normal time but a missed opportunity from the penalty spot by Niall McDermott and two late Maynooth points seemed to seal it for the Leinster side. However Hegarty stepped up to bury a second penalty in injury time before Fergal Boland drove over a brilliant point to send the level the game 2-16 4-10 and send it into extra-time.

Maynooth, led by the outstanding Paul Cribbin, gathered themselves to kick four points in a row at the start of the additional time but a Shane Ryan goal brought UL to within a point. Cribbin replied for Maynooth but Ryan, McDermott and Goulding kicked the crucial scores in the second period to send UL through to the next round.

Meanwhile, there was one game today in the Fitzgibbon Cup as NUI Galway got their group campaign off to a strong start thanks to a 4-14 to 1-12 victory over DCU St. Patricks campus.