Cork IT do enough to survive late siege

Cork IT 0-14 NUI Galway 0-13: CORK IT conceded the last five scores, but still hung on to reach their first Sigerson Cup final, denying NUI Galway in a tense semi-final on their own grounds yesterday.

The home side owed their progress to a blistering third quarter against the strong wind after they turned around 0-7 to 0-5 in front. They missed a seventh-minute penalty, too, Colm O’Neill pulling his effort wide.

But, the dominance of midfielders, Seán O’Hare and captain Paul O’Flynn, was eventually reflected on the scoreboard as CIT kicked six points from play to surge 0-13 to 0-7 in front after 42 minutes.

O’Flynn started the sequence inside 15 seconds before O’Neill, the outstanding Paul Kerrigan, twice, Gary Sayers and Daniel Goulding followed with equally impressive points. But, CIT only scored one more time, Goulding obliging, as the visitors dominated the remainder and chipped away at the deficit.

Galway star Seán Armstrong kicked his lone point six minutes from the end to make it a three-point game, though the goal they craved rarely looked like materialising.

Sub Cathal McHugh fired across goal off a defender in injury-time and while Paul Broderick kicked the resulting 45 time ran out on the plucky visitors.

CORK IT: L Sheehan; A Fenton, R Carey, N Galvin; S O’Donoghue, A O’Sullivan, C O’Driscoll; S O’Hare, P O’Flynn, captain, (0-1); G Sayers (0-1), P Kerrigan (0-3), S McCarthy (0-1); D Goulding (0-6, two frees, one 45), C O’Neill (0-2), S Cahalane. Subs: J Fitzpatrick for Cahalane (46 mins), R Leahy for Sayers (59 mins).

NUI GALWAY: L Grant; C McDonald, G Cafferkey, D Finnegan; N Ewing, G Bradshaw (0-2 frees), P Domican; M Gottsche, K Conroy; C Kenny (0-1), S Armstrong (0-1), C Healy (0-1); P Broderick (0-4, three frees, one 45), G Begley, J Connellan (0-3). Subs: C Barrett for Cafferkey (inj 6 mins), D O’Gara (0-1) for Gottsche (40 mins), C McHugh for Healy (49 mins.)

Referee: M Condon (Waterford).