Dundalk IT 0-7
DCU 1-7

Conor McKenna reports from DkIT Sports Grounds

DCU ADVANCED TO the quarter-finals of the Sigerson Cup after a 1-7 to 0-7 victory over Óisín McConville’s DkIT outfit.

The Louth college put up a very credible performance and at times looked like they could have caused what would have been one of the biggest upsets in Sigerson Cup history, but it was DCU whose perseverance eventually set up a Dublin derby with UCD next week.

David Mannix opened the scoring for DCU with a free in front of goal, but the hosts responded magnificently with Longford star David McGivney leveling immediately.

Donal Meegan put DkIT into the lead with a well-taken point and their lead was doubled shortly afterwards when a long-range free from Tadhg McEneaney sailed between the posts.

Midway through the first half, DCU were dealt a major blow when corner-back Barry Kerr was dismissed with a straight red card for an alleged stamp on opposition midfielder Ciaran Bellew.

DkIT’s Niall Kearns and the visitors’ Desmond Ward traded points before DkIT entered the changing rooms with a slender lead at the interval.

The second half was a poor affair in truth, with a free from McEneaney the first score of the half.

Éanna Ó Conchuir and Conor Doherty then exchanged points before the former converted a penalty on which the game would swing – this after Stephen O’Brien was taken down inside the area.

Niall Kearns responded for DkIT with a score, but that was as good as it got for the Louth college: DCU scored the final four points of the game to advance to the quarters by the skin of their teeth.

Full Time here in The Centre of Excellence Darver and DCU advance to the Sigerson Cup Q/Final following and hard fought win over DKiT. pic.twitter.com/AhgwHtcrSH

— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) January 31, 2018

Scorers for DkIT: Niall Kearns 0-1 (1f), Tadhg McEneaney 0-2 (2f), Conor Doherty 0-1, David McGivney 0-1, Donal Meegan 0-1
Scorers for DCU: Éanna O’Connor 1-3 (1p, 1f), Desmond Ward 0-2, David Mannix 0-1 (1f), Shane Carthy 0-1

DkIT

1. Joe O’Donoghue (Cavan)

2. Colm Meegan (Monaghan)
3. Conor Lenehan (Louth)
4. Ian Connor (Louth)

5. Eunan Walsh (Antrim)
6. Cormac Daly (Cavan)
7. Kevin Traynor (Meath)

8. Niall Kearns (Monaghan)
9. Ciaran Bellew (Louth)

10. Gea McSorley (Louth)
11. Conor Doherty (Donegal)
12. David McGivney (Longford)

13. Tadhg McEneaney (Louth)
14. Shea Hoey (Armagh)
15. Donal Meegan (Monaghan)

Replacements: 24. Dean Maguire (Louth) for Bellew (50); 25. Sean Marry (Louth) for Hoey (54); 22. Aaron O’Brien (Louth) for McEneaney (59)

DCU

1. Evan Comerford (Dublin)

2. Ciaran Boylan (Meath)
3. Fintan Kelly (Monaghan)
4. Barry Kerr (Monaghan)

5. Desmond Ward (Monaghan)
6. Shairoze Akram (Mayo)
7. Paddy Durcan (Mayo)

8. Stephen O’Brien (Tipperary)
9. Caolan McGonagle (Donegal)

10. Desmond Reynolds (Longford)
14. Shane Carthy (Dublin)
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Mayo)

13. Michael Bannigan (Monaghan)
11. Éanna Ó Conchuir (Kerry)
15. David Mannix (Kerry)

Replacements: 17. James Mealiff (Monaghan) for McGonagle (41); 29. Conor Bradley (Cavan) for Mannix (45)

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)

Mayo’s Loftus bags key goal as DIT see off defensive IT Carlow to make Sigerson quarter-finals