Sport

GMIT's Joyce sets up second replay

League Final NUIG 2-16 GMIT 1-19 Nicky Joyce, who walked out of the Galway squad last month, struck last-gasp points three times…

Thu Mar 10 2005 - 00:00

League FinalNUIG 2-16 GMIT 1-19 Nicky Joyce, who walked out of the Galway squad last month, struck last-gasp points three times as GMIT and NUIG remain inseparable after three hours of football in the FBD Connacht league final at Pearse Stadium.

Joyce, who finished with a tally of 1-10, sent the game into extra-time when GMIT came from five points down with three minutes left to equalise. Joyce scrambled home the goal which brought them within a point and levelled in stoppage time with a point from play. Then, just when it seemed a Brendan Ó Callarain pointed free was about to win it for NUIG in extra-time, Joyce again displayed great composure to tie the match and send it into a second period of extra-time.

Again, it was NUIG who seized the initiative as Micheál Meehan took his tally to eight points, but GMIT hit back and, after Aidan Kilcoyne reduced the margin to the minimum, once more it was Joyce who levelled the match with a last-minute free to force a second replay.

Earlier, two goals in the opening seven minutes from Roscommon's Senan Kilbride saw NUIG open a 10-point lead only for GMIT to battle their way back. They never gave up despite trailing by 2-5 to 0-1 after 17 minutes.

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The sponsors, FBD Insurances, announced they will be bringing both teams to New York to replay the match. A trip to New York was originally one of the prizes for the winners and is scheduled for October 9th.

NUIG: R O'Reilly; F Hanley, C Monaghan, D Blake; C Moran, D McDermott, E Towey; N Kilmartin (0-1), M Finneran (0-1); G Cox (0-1), I Kilbride (0-1), B Ó Callarain (0-2, one free); M Meehan (0-8, three frees), S Kilbride (2-0), J Boylan. Subs: E Malone for Raftery (47 mins), G Sice for McDermott (52 mins), D Geraghty for Moran (58 mins), E Curtin (0-2) for S Kilbride (44 mins).

GMIT: B O'Donoghue; M Flannery, Alan Nurke (Corofin), D Healy; A Raftery, R Feeney, B Prior (0-1); P Geraghty, R McNamara (0-1); D Mullaghy Alan Burke (Kilmaine), A Kilcoyne (0-3, two frees, one 45); B Darby (0-1), N Joyce (1-10, eight frees), J Egan. Subs: A Geraghty (0-1) for Flannery (17 mins), P Moran (0-1) for Alan Burke (Kilmaine, half-time), J Meehan for Egan (half-time), P Regan for Meehan (54 mins), E McMenamon (0-1) for Mullaghy (70 mins), N Meenaghan for Moran (77 mins).

Referee: V Neary (Sligo).