Offaly players bid for Sigerson Cup glory

THERE will be plenty of Offaly interest in the Sigerson Cup final on Wednesday evening at Carlow IT with players on the opposing teams.

The blue riband event of third level colleges football, NUIG and University of Limerick will clash in a final that should provide some outstanding entertainment.

NUIG had a hard earned extra time win over MTU Kerry in the semi-final last week and key players on their team are Edenderry's Rory Egan and Kilcormac-Killoughey's Cathal Donoghue.

A hard running utility player, Donoghue was outstanding as Offaly won the Alll-Ireland U-20 Football Championship last year and is on the Offaly senior football panel. He was wing forward for NUIG, playing alongside his first cousin, Galway's Matthew Tierney, and is expected to start in the final. Egan also had a super year for Offaly U-20s last year, is on John Maughan's senior panel and he had been in excellent form on the half back line for NUIG.

Egan and Donoghue will come up against his Offaly team mate, Ciaran Donnelly who has been playing very well for University of Limerick in their full back line. The Bracknagh man is also on the Offaly senior football panel and he has been very steady in their defence.

David Clifford was the difference as UL edged out Dublin City University by 0-14 to 0-11 in an excellent semi-final last week. There was disappointment for Offaly players on the DCU team.

Cappincur's Bill Carroll played very well, scoring a point while Daingean's Shane Tierney was outstanding when he came on. Tierney had one of his best ever games as he scored three points, two from play and one from a mark, causing considerable problems for the UL defence.

Jack Bryant came on as a second half sub, trying hard as the game began to slip from DCU's grasp. Bryant, sensational for Offaly U-20s last year, and Carroll are on John Maughan's Offaly senior football panel while Tierney has been on the panel before but is not there so far this year.

Several Offaly players have made Sigerson Cup teams this year and that is a welcome development for the game in the county as there were a few years wher players struggled to make their mark at this grade.

The final has a 7.30pm throw in and is being shown live on TG4.