Keogh and Sinnott show their class to fire teams to victory

Ollie Keogh and Paul Sinnott have graced many a League of Ireland ground with their presence down the years. Throughout long careers with Galway United they performed at a level that most people can only aspire to and in recent times have returned to Junior football.

On Sunday, both made their mark in stunning fashion, as Keogh notched a hat-trick for Hibernians as they came from behind to see off Salthill Devon at Drom, while Sinnott cracked home two smashing goals that helped Mervue United eventually pull away from NUI Galway at Dangan.

Corrib Rangers and Athenry kept pace just behind, with impressive wins over OLBC and St Bernard’s.

NUI Galway 0Mervue United 3

Two goals in a four minute spell by Paul Sinnott in the second-half turned an open game into a convincing win for the Premier Division leaders at Dangan on Sunday.

Mervue took an early lead when Tommy Walsh converted from the spot after Stephen Larkin was upended in the box, and for the next hour the respective goalkeepers were generally redundant as defences dominated.

Sinnott has been a regular contributor in the goal stakes from his central midfield position throughout the campaign, and he turned the game very much the way of the visitors on 69 minutes.

A free-kick from wide on the right by Eric Browne was taken down on his chest and almost in slow motion, he volleyed a cracking effort into the far top corner past a stranded Martin Mannion.

In their next attack, Sinnott killed off the Students with a strong run into the box and finished with a simple side foot effort between Mannion and his near post for a 3-0 advantage.

College offered a token late resistance, as efforts by Cian McBrien and Ger Cheevers were easily gathered by Brian O’Donoghue. The win maintains Mervue’s three point advantage over Corrib Rangers at the top of the table.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.