Grugan sub plot lifts Mary's
St Mary's 1-11 DIT 2-6
Emmett O'Connaighle, Dublin Institute of Technology in action against Conall McCann,St Mary's University College Belfast (SPORTSFILE)
Neil Collins, Dublin Institute of Technology, in action against Peter Carragher, St Mary's University College Belfast (SPORTSFILE)
Tomas O'Connor, Dublin Institute of Technology, in action against Daniel McBride, St Mary's University College Belfast (SPORTSFILE)
St Mary's will face Sigerson Cup hosts UUJ in a Belfast derby quarter-final after they finished strongly to deny DIT in extra-time on Garvaghey's 3G pitch.
Despite playing against the wind, DIT were perfectly placed at half-time as Dublin's Emmet O Conghaile and Mayo man Liam Irwin both fired in goals to give them a 2-2 to 0-4 advantage.
But the introduction of Conor Meyler gave the Ranch an injection of energy and they closed the gap through Brian Og McGilligan, O'Neill and Harry Loughran, before Armagh's Peter Carragher drilled home a 54th-minute goal.
DIT keeper Conor Ferris denied Aidan McGarrity with a fine stop but St Mary's corner back-Aaron McKay shot the stoppage time leveller that sent the tie to extra-time.
Substitute Killian O'Gara edged DIT back in front, giving them a 2-6 to 1-8 lead halfway through, but it was yet another Orchard saviour, sub Jack Grugan, who came off the bench to land three long-range frees which clinched the tie.
SCORERS - St Mary's: P Carragher 1-0, J Grugan 0-3 (3f), R O'Neill 0-2 (1f), N Toner, K McKernan, B Og McGilligan, D Kavanagh (f), H Loughran, A McKay 0-1 each. DIT: L Irwin 1-1 (0-1f). E O Conghaile 1-0, K O'Gara 0-2, C Grimes, B McMahon, G Guilfoyle 0-1 each.
St Mary's - R Burns, P McAleer, D McBride, A McKay, H Loughran, N McParland, C McCooey, B Og McGilligan, P Carragher, C McCann, K McGeary, K McKernan, D Kavanagh, M Fitzpatrick, N Toner.
Subs: R O'Neill for McCooey, C Byrne for McBride, C Meyler for Toner, A Nugent for Kavanagh, A McGarrity for McCann, N McNicholl for McGilligan, McCooey for McAleer (BC), J Grugan for McGarrity.
DIT - C Ferris, K O'Brien, N Collins, P Reilly, S Clayton, G Guilfoyle, C Boyle, E O Conghaile, D Nelson, R McGowan, E Flanagan, C Madden, L Irwin, T O'Connor, B McMahon. Subs: C Grimes for O Conghaile (BC), K O'Gara for Madden, B Power for Flanagan, G Reilly for O'Connor, S Cunningham for P Reilly (BC), Madden for McGowan.
Ref - M McNally (Monaghan).
