St Mary's stun hosts with victory in free-taking competition
St Mary’s College Belfast stunned their hosts NUI Galway with victory in a free-taking competition to qualify for the Sigerson Cup Round 3.
Nathan Mullen’s first-half goal seemed to have settled NUI Galway after Aaron Boyle had converted a penalty for the 2017 winners, but after late points from Tyrone’s Liam Rafferty and Derry’s Daniel McKinless, Rafferty and Niall Toner kicked the winning frees for St Mary’s.
They think it's all over.. it is now! Liam Rafferty with the winning free kick!!!!!! RANCH win 4-1 in the free kick comp!@ElectricIreland@officialgaa#FirstClassRivals #RanchSpirit pic.twitter.com/DmF1CwBtjb
— St Mary's SU (@StMarysBelfast) January 16, 2019
This was a tempestuous encounter where officials had their hands full, and Roscommon official Brendan Healy had to dish out eight yellows cards, two blacks and two reds, with NUI Galway’s Patrick O’Donnell and St Mary’s Ryan McSherry being sent off as full time approached.
NUI Galway were 1-4 to 1-2 ahead at half-time with Rob Finnerty’s frees the big difference between the sides, and with Mullen and Enda Tierney in particular working hard they looked certain winners.
Corner back Kevin McDonnell landed two excellent points for NUI Galway to help them into a two-point lead with seven minutes remaining, but the impressive Rafferty and McKinless left it 1-8 each and forced extra-time.
Tierney took over the free-taking duties from Finnerty after he went off and the Galway county man kicked two for his side, but with the home side protecting a one-point lead they had Michael Daly and Jack Robinson black carded for cynical pull-downs.
And Stephen McConville inflicted the ultimate punishment with the levelling free and St Mary’s won out after Tierney and goalkeeper Aaron Brady missed their free-kicks.
L Rafferty 0-3, S McConville 0-3 (3f), A Boyle 1-0 (1-0pen), S McGuigan 0-2 (1f), M Rooney 0-1, J Óg Burns 0-1, D McKinless 0-1.
R Finnerty 0-3 (3f), N Mullen 1-0, K McDonnell 0-2, J Robinson 0-2 (1f), E Tierney 0-2 (1f), M Daly 0-1 (1f), K Molloy 0-1.
M Reid; C McKinney, R McCusker, M Rooney; C Byrne, A Boyle, L Rafferty; J Óg Burns, L Devlin; R McSherry, S McConville, S McGuigan; N Toner, R Coleman, A Duffy.
D McKinless for Devlin (40), J Hannigan for Duffy (52), T O’Kane for Byrne (59), L Devlin for O’Kane (60), C Byrne for red card (60), C McAllister for Rooney (70), T O’Kane for Hannigan (75).
A Brady; S Brennan, S Mulkerrin, K McDonnell; K Molloy, R Greene, P O’Donnell; P Cooke, C Darcy; N Mullen, M Daly, E Tierney; R Finnerty, J Robinson, O Gallagher.
B Donovan for Gallagher (40), C Marren for Darcy (42-47 blood), G Canavan for Finnerty (60), E Wynne for red card (60), J Maher for Brennan (70), K Quinn for Robinson (78 BC), E McGrath for Daly (79 BC).
B Healy (Roscommon).
