DCU 0-14
IT Carlow 0-07
Sinéad Farrell reports from DCU Sportsground
DUBLIN KEEPER EVAN Comerford and Monaghan forward David Garland combined for seven points, as DCU eventually shook off a gritty IT Carlow to clinch Sigerson Cup honours.
It’s a fifth crown for the Glasnevin college, as they eked out a seven-point win on home soil, powering to victory with four of the last five points in the decider.
Dublin forward Paddy Small also accounted for two of Paddy Christie’s side’s 14 points, while Shane Carthy put in another towering display from midfield.
Similar to their semi-final encounter with UCD, DCU had to show patience as they gradually outgunned their opponents.
They raced into a 0-4 0-1 lead after 19 minutes, but IT Carlow forward Evan Lowry cut the deficit to two points when he drilled the ball between the posts on 27 minutes.
IT Carlow, who were aiming to win their first Sigerson title, matched up to the home side physically and midfielder Niall Hughes should have made it a one-point game moments later when his kick trailed wide.
A biting cross-wind made it difficult for both sides, and DCU missed three goal opportunities in the first half. Thomas Edward Donohoe’s fired his attempt wide, while Garland also failed to find the back of the net on two occasions.
The Monaghan man was in lively form throughout the tie, and he had the final say of the first half to make it 0-5 0-2 to DCU.
Comerford kicked the second of his three frees shortly after the restart to stretch DCU’s advantage to four, quickly followed by a Micheál Bannigan free.
Two Cian Farrell frees brought IT Carlow back to within three but the hosts mustered a strong response as they rattled off three points in six minutes through Garland, Comerford and Small, to go six clear.
By that stage, DCU were in control of proceedings while their defensive unit were disciplined and precise in restricting the Carlow forwards to just one point from play in all.
Things got worse for the visitors when they lost two players to the sin-bin. Full-back Richard Hitchcock was the first to be dismissed after 51 minutes while midfielder Hughes followed him to the line seven minutes later.
They almost engineered a goal chance in the final 10 minutes when a looping ball came in top of Comerford. But the Dublin netminder coolly claimed possession and ensured a clean sheet for another night between the DCU posts.
Farrell continued to tag on the points, and accounted for six of IT Carlow’s points in the final, but the DCU machine proved to be impenetrable once again in their impressive march towards victory.
Scorers for DCU: David Garland (0-4 1f), Evan Comerford (0-3 3f), Paddy Small (0-2), Micheál Bannigan (0-2, 2f), Shane Carthy (0-1), Sean Bugler (0-1), Brian Stack (0-1).
Scorers for IT Carlow: Cian Farrell (0-6 6f), Evan Lowry (0-1).
DCU
1. Evan Comerford (Dublin)
2. Conor Morrison (Donegal)
3. Brendan McCole (Donegal)
4. Daniel Corcoran (Louth)
5. Kevin Flynn (Kildare)
6. Sean MacMahon (Dublin)
7. Declan Monaghan (Dublin)
8 Jordan Morrissey (Carlow)
9. Sean Bugler (Dublin)
34. Shane Carthy (Dublin)
11. Micheál Bannigan (Monaghan)
12. Brian Stack (Roscommon)
13. Thomas Edward Donohoe (Cavan)
14. Paddy Small (Dublin)
15. David Garland (Monaghan)
Subs:
28. Tom Fox (Dublin) for Donohoe (37 mins)
25. Stephen Smith (Dublin) for Stack (51 mins)
19. Mark Curran (Donegal) for Morrison (53 mins)
29. Nathan Gavigan (Donegal) for MacMahon (59 mins)
17. Kieran Dwyer (Kerry) for Corcoran (59 mins)
IT Carlow
1. Killian Roche (Clare)
2. Josh Moore (Carlow)
3. Richard Hitchcock (Laois)
4. Ronan Ryan (Meath)
5. Conor Doyle (Carlow)
6. Trevor Collins (Laois)
7. Cathal Walsh (Wexford)
8. Niall Hughes (Wexford)
9. Sean Ryan (Cork)
10. Padraig O’Toole (Wicklow)
11. Chris Byrne (Kildare)
12. Adam Steed (Kildare)
13. Cian Farrell (Offaly)
14. Jack Walsh (Offaly)
15. Evan Lowry (Laois)
Subs:
21. Tommy Griffin (Limerick) for Doyle (HT)
19. Gearoid Murphy (Wicklow) for Walsh (37 mins)
17. Sean Crowley (Clare) for Walsh (47 mins)
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary)
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