Electric Ireland HE GAA Sigerson Cup, Round Three
St Mary's UC 0-10 Maynooth University 2-6
PADDY McDermott was the hero for Maynooth as his goal three minutes into added time saw them snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Davitt Park on Wednesday to stun St Mary's.
It had appeared the Belfast college was on course to hang on for the win as they led by one with the game deep in added time, but for the second week running, they were undone by a last-gasp goal that sees them exit the competition with Maynooth marching on.
It was a case of déjà vu for the Belfast college that, like last week against DCU, led for the majority of the game but were punished at the death.
Despite scoring just one point in the second period, it seemed like this would be enough for St Mary's who had limited the visitors to just an early goal in the second period as they remained three clear with two minutes of normal time remaining, but a couple of quickfire points brought the gap to the minimum before a turnover in stoppage time led to a quick break and the goal that proved the winner.
It was a cagey opening 10 minutes with the visitors finally opening the scoring on six minutes from a Shane O'Sullivan free and the Leinster outfit were compact at the back early on, shutting down the attacking avenues.
Bit by bit, St Mary's began to solve the riddle and with wind advantage, Cian McConville floated over a leveller before Ryan Coleman put them into the lead.
Darragh Warnock bursts clear of Cormac Smyth
Maynooth were dealt a blow in the 15th minute as Keith Murphy was sin-binned for a foot trip on Paddy Quigg with McConville knocking over the resultant free, while Michael McCallan fired over from close range when McConville's attempted fisted point was broken into his path.
The visitors were left to try and hit on the break and points from Jack Darcey and O'Sullivan either side of a Cormac Smyth effort kept them in touch, but St Mary's hit back with Cormac Murphy and Cian McConville efforts to put them four clear and after another exchange of points, Maynooth almost rounded off the water break-free half in fine style when a flowing move saw Darcey shoot just outside thew post from the left and they were punished as Ryan Coleman kicked a beauty in stoppage time to leave St Mary's 0-9 to 0-4 ahead at then break.
Maynooth pushed up a little more early in the second period and their efforts were rewarded four minutes in when Conor Chawke intercepted a stray pass and played O'Sullivan through who rounded Charlie Smyth and fired into the net to reduce the gap back to two.
It would be 24 minutes before Maynooth added to their tally, but St Mary's tagged on just one score through Tom O'Kane on 47 minutes as they couldn't find a way through a disciplined and packed Maynooth team that would play another 10 minutes a player short after Jamie Coffey was shown black on36 minutes for a body check.
maynooth's Ciaran Dolan is challenged in the air by Cormac Murphy
Both teams defended and attacked as a unit, but despite plenty of effort, there were no scores as the minutes ticked by and it appeared the hosts were on course for victory, but perhaps began to drop off as the Kildare college pushed forward and when Colm Walsh thumped over from range to end a barren spell for his side, an O'Sullivan free from 45 out left just one in it with the game ticking into stoppage time.
It seemed St Mary's would hod on as they stifled their opponents and turned the ball over, but were caught themselves around the middle of the field as gaps appeared and taken advantage of with Maynooth breaking at pace, carving through on goal with O'Sullivan squaring to McDermott to palm home three minutes into stoppage time, leaving St Mary's with defeat from the jaws of victory once again.
ST MARY'S UC: C Smyth; D McCrossan, K Burke, J Diamond; T O'Kane (0-1); M McCallan (0-1), C McGettigan; C Smyth (0-1), M McCarville; S Rock, R Coleman (0-2), Conor McConville; Cian McConville (0-4, 1 free), P Quigg, C Murphy (0-1).
Subs: G McKibbon for R Coleman (47), S Kelly for S Rock (58), S Donnelly for M McCallan (60+1)
MAYNOOTH: C Burke; C Hartnett, K Dolan, K Dwyer; J Coffey, C Walsh (0-1), K Murphy; D Lyons, D Warnock; P McDermott (1-0), D Lynham, D Egan (0-1); C Chawke, S O'Sullivan (1-3, 0-3 frees), J Darcey (0-1).
Subs: S McCormack for J Coffey (47), C Burns for K Murphy (49), B Maher for C Chawke (52), E Mulhall for J Darcey (57)
Black cards: K Murphy (15), J Coffey (36)
REFEREE: Paul Faloon (Down)
