Sigerson Cup Round 1 results

ULSTER UNIVERSITY 1-13 IT TRALEE 1-8

MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY 0-9 QUEENS UNIVERSITY 0-8

ST. MARY'S 1-11 NUIG 1-11 (St Mary's win free-kick contest 4-2)

UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK 1-13 DIT 1-12

UCC 7-26 ATHLONE IT 2-3

UCD 5-8 CORK IT 0-10

GARDA COLLEGE 1-15 SLIGO IT 1-10

DCU 1-16 IT CARLOW 0-14

Mayo defender Patrick Durcan scored a crucial goal for Ulster University as they claimed a 1-13 to 1-8 win over a strong IT Tralee side at John Mitchels’ in the Sigerson Cup today.

Kerry’s Jack Savage was among the scores as IT Tralee took a narrow 0-7 to 0-4 lead at half-time, after they played with the breeze in the opening half.

But the game opened up and both sides had a player sent-off in the second half. Gareth McKinless was shown a second yellow card and then red. But Ulster University recovered once Greg Horan was dismissed.

They scored 1-6 without reply and Mark O’Shea’s goal was a consolation. Losers IT Tralee will face IT Sligo in the next round.

Maynooth University were 0-9 to 0-8 winners over Queens University in the other Sunday fixture, played at the Dub. Maynooth took a 0-5 to 0-4 advantage into half-time and Kildare’s Padraig Fogarty scored five points as his side secured the win.

Maynooth march on to Round 3 but Queen’s must now take on last year’s beaten finalists NUI Galway.

NUIG and St Mary’s kicked off proceedings on Wednesday, and it came down to an historic free-kick competition when the sides finished level on 1-11 to 1-11 after extra-time in a wintery Dangan.

A star-studded NUIG team looked to be on course for victory when they held a 1-4 to 1-2 lead at half-time in normal time. Nathan Mullen and Aaron Boyle traded goals.

But the 2017 champions, St. Mary's, held their nerve and after they got the game to free-kicks they eventually won 4-2.

Clare forward Keelan Sexton was the star for UL in their brilliant 1-13 to 1-12 victory away to DIT in Grangegorman.

Sexton scored 1-10 and that eclipsed Ronan O’Toole’s 1-4 for the men from the capital, who now face Athlone IT in Round 2.

UCC were awesome in their 7-26 to 2-3 win over Athlone IT at Mardyke on Wednesday night.

Paudie Clifford scored a hat-trick of goals for the winners, with Conor Horgan (two), Gary Murphy and Conor Geaney also on target. Rian Brady and Billy Berry scored the Athlone goals.

On Thursday reigning champions UCD took apart Cork IT in a 5-8 to 0-10 thrashing at Belfield.

John Divilly’s side were back to their best and the goals came from Evan O’Carroll, Con O’Callaghan, Fiachra Clifford, Conor Hartley and Conor McCarthy. That win for UCD means Cork IT go into a Round 2 clash with Carlow IT.

Elsewhere on Thursday Garda College claimed a comfortable 1-15 to 1-10 win over IT Sligo. The Templemore outfit had to play with 14 men for 24 minutes when Paul Mannion was sent-off.

But they still prevailed, and Dale Masterson scored five points for the winners. Ronan Carolan and Jamie Brennan fired the goals.

DCU avoided the losers section when they beat IT Carlow 1-16 to 0-14 on Friday evening. Brian Reape scored 1-3 for DCU to cancel out Diarmuid Whelan’s brilliant seven points.