IT Sligo began their Sigerson Cup campaign in Tuam Stadium on Thursday with a comprehensive 3-13 to 2-7 victory over GMIT.
James Shaughnessy was their top scorer with 1-6 and Bryan Walsh got another goal to give the Sligo college a 2-5 to 1-6 half-time lead.
Joseph Donnellan struck the major for the home side and added a second after the break. But with Jamie Brennan netting a third for the visitors, IT Sligo ran out comfortable nine-point winners.
Garda College kicked off their campaign with an 0-8 to 0-3 win in Templemore against Cork IT. Building a sizeable first-half lead, Seamus O’Carroll, Eoin Cleary and Thomas McDaniel all kicked two points each for a 0-6 to 0-1 advantage. Thomas Featherstone, Peadar Morris and Brian Coakley managed Cork IT points but the host side’s lead was never under threat.
On Wednesday, last year’s runners-up DCU began with an easy 3-10 to 0-3 win over Queen’s University in Belfast. After leading 0-6 to 0-2 at half-time, the Dublin outfit pulled away after Ryan Burns got a 39th minute goal. Niall Murphy and Enda Smith struck the other majors.
NUIG were comfortable winners against Trinity College by 4-12 to 1-7. Adam Gallagher, Sean Kelly, Colm Kelly and Matt McClean got the goals for the Tribesmen to advance.
And University Limerick (UL) won a thriller after extra-time against Maynooth University by 3-19 to 4-15. Maynooth lead by nine points through Ryan O’Rourke and two Joey Wallace majors with Daniel Flynn adding a fourth later. Jack Goulding had gotten an early UL goal and Gearoid Hegarty got their second. Michael Geaney got the third from a penalty as the Munster college came from four behind in the added period to get over the line.
