SEVERAL LEADING YOUNG footballers face fixture clashes this weekend in the wake of last night’s Sigerson Cup semi-final results.
Two Corofin players qualified for the Sigerson Cup decider on Saturday, the same day that their club are in All-Ireland semi-final action, while Kerry, Monaghan and Sligo players all face potential games in the Allianz football league the day after the third-level tie.
NUI Galway qualified for their first Sigerson Cup final in 15 years last night while UCD reached the final for the third year on the bounce.
Corofin defensive duo Kieran Molloy and Liam Silke were both part of winning teams. In Mullingar, Molloy came on in the 42nd minute and notched a point in NUIG’s three-point success over DIT.
In Inniskeen, Silke also came off the bench to score a point with his 50th minute introduction coming in a match that required two periods of extra-time as UCD saw off Ulster University.
The Sigerson Cup final is on at 3.30pm on Saturday in Santry Avenue but the pair will be important figures in the Corofin side that face Kildare’s Moorefield at 2pm in O’Connor Park in Tullamore as they bid to reach their second St Patrick’s Day final in four years.
The Sigerson Cup final was penciled in for a free weekend in the football league but the unplayable pitches that caused four games to be postponed last weekend resulted in refixtures for this Sunday. It would be a huge ask if third-level players were asked to line out twice in a 24-hour period.
UCD midfield pairing Barry O’Sullivan and Jack Barry have started both of Kerry’s Division 1 ties to date while Brian Ó Seanacháin, who came on as a substitute last night, is another UCD player that has been in Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s plans.
Kerry’s opponents on Sunday in Inniskeen are the home side Monaghan, who may have to do without attacker Conor McCarthy. The Scotstown man is a critical player in the UCD forward line and bagged 0-6 last night.
In Division 3 Sligo entertain Fermanagh in Markievicz Park. The Yeats county players involved in the Sigerson final are the NUIG pair of Kevin McDonnell and Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, and UCD’s Patrick O’Connor.
The other Division 3 tie on Sunday between Derry and Offaly does not have players affected.
The solitary Division 2 game sees Cavan entertain Meath. UCD’s Tom Hayes and Luke Fortune have previously been part of Cavan’s plans but are not currently involved with Mattie McGleenan’s squad.
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