Football

Daniel Guinness and Odhran Eastwood ease Queen's to Sigerson win over TU Dublin City

Daniel Guinness had an exceptional second half for Queen's in their Sigerson Cup win over TU Dublin City
Daniel Guinness had an exceptional second half for Queen's in their Sigerson Cup win over TU Dublin City Daniel Guinness had an exceptional second half for Queen's in their Sigerson Cup win over TU Dublin City

Electric Ireland HE GAA Sigerson Cup Round One: Queen’s University 1-14 TU Dublin City Campus 1-8

FIRE in the belly goes a long way at any level of Gaelic football – but it seems to have greater currency when it comes to Sigerson football.

Queen’s University had it in spades on a dank Saturday afternoon at The Dub against TU Dublin City (formerly Dublin IT) who had All-Ireland winner Brian Howard and Monaghan’s Conor McCarthy in their ranks.

But the Belfast-based students outworked and outplayed their visitors with a dominant second half performance that was laced with quality.

“We’ve been very heroic one-point losers, so at least now we’ve stepped up and got a win, which is our first in Sigerson in four years,” said delighted new Queen’s boss Conor Deegan.

“We’re genuinely over the moon. We’re a bit chuffed. You’re looking at their team sheet… but our boys need to enjoy that experience because it’s been a while.”

Antrim’s Odhran Eastwood had an electric 10 minutes in the final quarter of Saturday’s contest where he bagged a sublime 1-3 that buried TU Dublin City’s Sigerson Cup hopes on heavy sod.

And, in Daniel Guinness, Deegan has a natural leader. With number five on his back but playing in midfield, the Down ace produced a brilliant second half performance that his opposite number Howard couldn’t live with.

“Brian Howard wouldn’t be in what you’d call Championship shape at the moment but he’s one of the best footballers in the country and Daniel relished it," Deegan said.

“We all know how good an athlete and footballer Daniel can be and today we saw that. And young [Odhran] Eastwood came to life. After his goal, the few points that followed were always coming. He was electric and looking for the ball, and that’s what you want from your inside forwards.”

Given oceans of space to run into, Guinness didn’t have to be asked twice as he broke TU Dublin’s defensive lines with consummate ease, setting up numerous scores, including Eastwood’s game-breaking goal on 48 minutes.

Armagh’s Callum O’Neill had stolen forward from centre-back to level the game 0-9 to 1-6 on 40 minutes before Guinness and Eastwood pulverised their opponents.

After yet another penetrating run, Guinness off-loaded to Eastwood – subdued up to that point – who then rounded ‘keeper Mark Jackson and fired into the roof of the net from close range to put the home side 1-9 to 1-6 ahead.

The St Enda’s Glengormley attacker struck a super point off his left a minute later and grabbed two more in the closing stages to put a bit of polish on the final score-line.

The home side deservedly won by six points but when the game was in the melting pot the Dublin students didn’t take their chances.

On 40 minutes, TU Dublin substitute Caoimhín Reilly fisted off the Queen’s crossbar after being set up by the raiding McCarthy that would have put the visitors three up.

And even in the early exchanges of Saturday’s tie the Dubs had a couple of sights of Queen’s goal but didn’t take them.

If the second half belonged to Guinness and Eastwood, the first belonged to Fermanagh duo Darragh McGurn and Tiernan Bogue as well as Ciaran Higgins of Armagh.

Playing in a roving half-forward role, Bogue had more possessions than anybody in the opening half and was always progressive with it too, bagging points in the third and 22nd minutes.

Full-forward McGurn, who opted out of Sigerson last season, announced his intentions with two confident first-half points before adding another in the last seconds of Saturday's win.

Higgins, who was on the periphery of the Armagh panel in recent seasons only for injury to deprive him of more game-time, didn’t put a foot wrong in midfield.

And the Maghery man also provided generous help on the scoreboard by landing two first-half points from play and split TU Dublin’s posts again soon after the re-start.

It was a nip and tuck first half with midfielder David Brady (Cavan), James Conlon (Meath) and McCarthy among the scorers for TU.

And the Dubs went ahead on 28 minutes (1-3 to 0-5) when defender Patrick O’Reilly took advantage of some poor defending to fist home a high ball.

Queen’s levelled through Higgins in first-half injury time before Guinness and Eastwood took this Sigerson Cup clash by the scruff of the neck in the second half.

Deegan added: “It was a wee bit difficult with getting players and everybody is trying to deal with it as best we can. But the one thing we’ve had is tremendous honesty from them. Everything we’ve asked they’ve delivered. There’s a really good atmosphere and spirit among them.

“We were the better side without a doubt and we probably should have kicked on and scored a few more, but we're delighted to progress in the competition.”

Queen’s University: E Mulholland; O Lappin, P Murdock, P Fegan; D Guinness, C O’Neill (0-1), A McAvoy; E Deane, C Higgins (0-3); R Campbell, C Gorman (0-1), T Bogue (0-2); E Fyfe, D McGurn (0-3), O Eastwood (1-3) Subs: D McKeever (0-1) for E Deane (9), A Lynch for P Murdock (44), A Fullerton for E Fyfe (47), B Gallen for O Lappin (60)

TU Dublin City: M Jackson; P O’Reilly (1-0), D Monahan, C Lennon; B Kerr, A McGowan, D Brennan; B Howard, D Brady (0-3); O McLoughlin (0-1), C McCarthy (0-1), S O’Hanlon; O Lynch (0-1), D McAllister, J Conlon (0-1) Subs: C Reilly for J Conlon (h/t), C Pearson (0-1) for S O’Hanlon (45), C Reihill for B Kerr (51), K Callaghan for O Lynch (53), E Nolan for D Brady (55)

Blood substitution: C Pearson for S O’Hanlon (11 to 24)

Referee: P Faloon (Down)