Luckily for Queens, the Sigerson Cup isn’t straight knockout this year.
Maynooth University 0-9 Queen’s University, Belfast 0-8
Eight time Sigerson Cup winners Queen’s University were came a cropper at the very first hurdle last year against a David Clifford inspired Tralee and were it not for a more merciful system this time around, they’d be early goners again.
A sluggish start from the home side granted Maynooth chances early on and with inside forwards Padraig Fogarty and Jimmy Hyland in clinical form, Queen’s were punished.
They trailed by one at the break and though they improved in the second half, it wasn’t enough as a gritty Maynooth side held on to win by the bare minimum.
This year, there’s a second chance for teams beaten in the first round and Shane Mulholland’s side will host NUIG in the backdoor of this competition next Wednesday.
Maynooth meanwhile, are into the quarters.
That man Fogarty – a key cog in the Kildare forward line in recent years – was on fire and he kicked some fine scores at the Dub, none more so than this curling beauty when the angle was as tight as water.
Video: Great point! Padraig Fogarty kicks a brilliant score from a tight angle for @MaynoothUniGAA in today's @ElectricIreland Sigerson Cup win at @QueensGAA in Belfast.. #GAA @MQ_Video @KildareGAA pic.twitter.com/gYveCamvYr
— GAA Higher Education (@HigherEdGAA) January 20, 2019
Watch the full time highlights here courtesy of Jerome Quinn’s great coverage.
Video: See new action from Maynooth's win at Queens today in Belfast in the @ElectricIreland Sigerson Cup, with @TipperaryGAA's Emmet Maloney talking to @MQ_Video @MaynoothUniGAA pic.twitter.com/eEWOSGPlbg
— GAA Higher Education (@HigherEdGAA) January 20, 2019
Ulster University 1-13 IT Tralee 1-8
A huge upset was on the cards in the only other Sigerson Cup game of the day with a David Clifford-less Tralee IT leading Ulster University by 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval.
County man Jack Savage stepped up to the plate in the Fossa star’s absence due to a shoulder injury, nailing every free that came his way in the first half while Mark O’Shea and Dara Moynihan were also in fine form.
SIGERSON CUP 2019:
@ITTraleeGAAClub v @UlsterUniGAA at 1pm today at @johnmitchelsGA1. @radiokerrysport @Kerry_Official @ittralee @GAAPicks pic.twitter.com/ogoMg1JJwR
— MTU Kerry Campus GAA Club (@MTUKerryGAAClub) January 20, 2019
A star studded Ulster University line up, which included Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Tyrone’s Michael McKernan, Paddy Durcan and Lee Brennan hit the ground running in the second half though and despite the loss of their centre back McKinless to a red card, they were undeterred with that man Durcan – so often Mayo’s hero – bombing forward for 1-2 in the space of ten minutes to turn this game on its head.
Some things never change.
On they march to the quarters now.
