The Sigerson Cup is back.
This year’s Sigerson Cup got off to a flying start on Wednesday afternoon when last year’s beaten finalists NUIG were defeated on their own patch by St Mary’s after a dramatic free-kick competition.
And the drama was only getting going there.
Two more games took place on Wednesday evening with DIT hosting UL in Grangegorman while AIT travelled down to the Mardyke to play UCC.
DIT 1-12 UL 1-13
Brian Flanagan’s star-studded DIT outfit were heavy favourites going into their first round clash with UL but it was a day for the underdogs with Clare’s jinky half forward Keelan Sexton inspiring the Limerick lads to a famous away victory.
It was the home side who got off to the better start in north Dublin though. Westmeath man Ronan O’Toole – a star of NUIG’s march to the Sigerson Cup final last year – is doing a masters up in Dublin this year and he yet again proved that he thrives in this Sigerson Cup environment.
He kicked two beauties early on to push his new college into a 0-5 0-3 early lead but UL were undeterred.
Sexton’s direct running had the DIT back-line fouling and with the centre forward razor sharp on the frees, UL began to take over this game.
A fluky goal dropped in for Sexton from a point effort shortly after and the home side looked in bother. Up stepped O’Toole again with a well-taken goal and another fine point to keep them in it and leave this one finely poised at 1-7 apiece at the break.
The sides went score for score through the second half but eventually Eoghan Lawless’ industry and Sexton’s class told and despite Brian Howard and co’s best efforts, the Limerick men held on for a deserved one point victory.
That man Sexton ended his evening with 1-10 (1-4 from play) and plenty of admirers too.
UCC 7-26 AIT 2-3
Down south, UCC hosted AIT in the Mardyke and the competition’s most successful ever college gave the Athlone lads an unmerciful whipping, their star-studded forward line – which includes Kerry’s Sean O’Shea, racking up an almighty 7-26 in a destructive evening’s work.
Both DIT and AIT will have one more shot at keeping their Sigerson Cup hopes in the loser’s round.
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