Killeshin duo stung by late LyIT come back to topple IT Carlow in Sigerson Cup

Killeshin duo Killian Roche and Evan Lowry were stung late on as Letterkenny IT came back from the brink to defeat IT Carlow in the opening round of the Sigerson cup on Tuesday night.

Roche lined out in goals kicking two frees while Lowry was their main sharp shooter kicking four points from the full forward line.

A late Keelan McGroddy goal meant Letterkenny Institute of Technology finished in style to claim a notable Sigerson Cup win.

LyIT 1-13 IT

Carlow 1-11

In Dunganny, Co Meath, Maxi Curran’s side looked to be headed towards the back door when they trailed 1-10 to 0-9 on 56 minutes following a Gearoid Murphy score and looked in trouble against a Carlow team who were finalists the last time the third level competition was played two years ago.

However, Downings’ McGroddy got LyIT moving with a goal two minutes from time and with Jason McGee kicking four points in all, Rory O’Donnell - who made his Donegal senior debut last Friday in the Dr McKenna Cup against Down - sealed the win. O’Donnell and Ryan McFadden grabbed control of things the longer it went on.

LyIt had their chances in the first half and would’ve been disappointed to go in three points down, 1-4 to 0-4 with Adam Steed grabbing a goal right before the break. Liam Gaughan from Tourlestrane in Sligo, came off the bench and would kick four frees, with Conor O’Donnell from Carndonagh scoring twice as Peadar Mogan impressed.

In 2020, IT Carlow pipped LyIT in the semi-final of the Sigerson Cup. The Port Road students, then managed by Donegal captain Michael Murphy, trailed 1-9 to 0-9 in injury time before nicking a goal from Caoimhinn Marley that looked like it was going to take the contest to extra-time.

However, moments later, Steed netted at the other end for Carlow to seal a 2-9 to 1-9 win and a place in the final next week against DCU, which the Dublin side ended up winning. 

IT Carlow have a second bite of the cherry against IT Sligo to come in a bid to save their Sigerson cup skin

LyIT: Emmet Maguire (Termon); Kieran Tobin (St Eunan’s), Seán Doherty (Buncrana), Jack Gallagher (Glenswilly); Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), OisinLangan (St Michael’s), Jack McSharry (Killybegs, 0-1); Rory O’Donnell (Milford, 0-1), Ryan McFadden (Termon, 0-1); Kealan Dunleavy (Glenswilly), Peadar Mogan (St Naul’s), Jason McGee (Cloughaneely, 0-4, 2f, 45); Mark McAteer (Gaeil Fhánada), Sean Neary (Bonniconlon, Mayo), Joel Bradley Walsh (Sean MacCumhaills). Subs: Liam Gaughan (Tourlestrane, Sligo, 0-4, 4f) for McAteer, (20); Eoin Dowling (St Eunan’s) for Neary, (half-time); Keelan McGroody (Downings, 1-0) for Walsh, (50); Dylan Dorrian (Milford) for Dunleavy, (50).

IT Carlow: Killian Roche (Killeshin, Laois, 0-2, 2f); Jack Donohue (Bannow Ballymitty, Wexford), Mark Furey (Éire Óg, Carlow), Keelan McDonnell (Ballintubber, Mayo); Conor Doyle (Rathvilly, Carlow), Josh Moore (Rathvilly, Carlow), Peter Hempenstall (Arklow Geraldine’s, Wicklow); Tommy Griffin (Gerald Griffins, Limerick, 0-1), Padraig O’Toole (Kilegan, Wicklow); Darren McDermott (Leixlip, Kildare), Gearoid Murphy (Annacurra, Wicklow, 0-4, 3f), Adam Steed (St Laurence’s, Kildare, 1-0), JP Hurley (Arklow Gerarldine’s, Wicklow), Jack O’Leary (St Fintan’s, Wexford), Evan Lowry (Killeshin, Laois, 0-4, 3f). Subs: Joey Wallace (Ratoath, Meath) for O’Leary, (half-time); Donal Keappock (Drumgoon Éire Óg, Cavan) for Hempenstall, (50); Drew Costello (Naas, Kildare) for Steed, (55); Paul Farrelly (Sallins, Kildate) for McDermott, (55).

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).