Maynooth beaten in Sigerson Cup

Sigerson Cup quarter-final

Ulster University 0-12 Maynooth University 0-10

Maynooth University bowed out of the Sigerson Cup today after they were beaten by two late point points in Jordanstown by reigning champions, Ulster University.

It was a tightly contested game throughout and the teams were level on eight occasions.

When Conor Frayne kicked the eighth of those equalising scores extra time looked likely but the home side were able to grind out a win thanks to injury time points from Lorcan McGarrity and the excellent Conor Cush.

From a Kildare point of view, even though the defeat was disappointing, Paddy McDermott got another game under his belt, while Ryan Burke returned to starting action after his heroics with Caragh in the 2024 season. Both will be hoping to force their way into Brian Flanagan’s starting XV for the Kildare team in the coming weeks.

Ulster University fielded Fermanagh trio Fionan O’Brien, Josh Largo Ellis and Ronan McCaffrey, off the bench, just a few days after they were defeated by Kildare in the Allianz National League.

It’s not the end of the Kildare interest in the competition as both Jack Rodgers and Sean Hanafin played for TUD as they beat UL in the Tuesday’s quarter-final. UCD also progressed, although Callum Bolton didn’t feature after his powerful showing for Kildare last weekend. Niall Dolan was due to start for DCU in the last of the quarter-finals on Wednesday evening against a TUS Midlands side that included Shane Farrell in their squad.

Scorers UU: C Cush 0-6 (5f), R Magill 0-1, E McEvoy 0-1, F O’Brien 0-1, C Daly 0-1, L McGarrity 0-1, J Largo Elis 0-1.

Maynooth: E Frayne 0-5 (2f), L Crowley 0-2, P McDermott, S O’Hare 0-1, R Burke 0-1.

ULSTER UNIVERSITY: Ronan McGeehin (Donegal); Dara Curran (Tyrone), Louis Kelly (Monaghan), Fionan O’Brien (Fermanagh); Josh Largo Elis (Fermanagh), Eoin McEvoy (Derry), Danny Magill (Down); Odhran Murdock (Down), Oisin McCann (Tyrone); Charlie Diamond (Derry), Eunan Mulholland (Derry), Ryan Magill (Down); Conor Cush (Tyrone); Ciaran Daly (Tyrone), Danny Fullerton (Tyrone) Subs: Michael Hamill (Monaghan) for Mulholland, 35; Lorcan McGarrity (Tyrone) for Fullerton, 35; Eoin McElholm (Tyrone) for Daly, 43; Callum O’Neill (Armagh) for Diamond, 43; Ronan McCaffrey (Fermanagh) for Magill, 52.

MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY: Eoin Sheehan (Johnstownbridge, Kildare); Ryan Burke (Caragh, Kildare), Thomas McPhillips (Latton, Monaghan), Brian O’Halloran (Ballivor, Meath); Sean O’Hare (Rathkenny, Meath), Tom Moran (Dunlavin, Wicklow), James Harris (Castlemitchell, Kildare); Conor Gray (Dunshaughlin, Meath), Conor Duke (Dunshaughlin, Meath); Paddy McDermott (Naas, Kildare), Eoghan Frayne (Summerhill, Meath), Sean Emmanuel (St Patrick’s, Stamullen, Meath); Luke Crowley (Glenflesk, Kerry), Harry Plunkett (Tullamore, Offaly), Kieran McArdle (St Brides, Louth). Sub: Rian Teahan (Rathangan, Kildare) for Emmanuel, 58.

REFEREE: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)