DCU hold off Whelan-inspired Carlow to book third-round place

DCU held off a spirited second-half showing from IT Carlow last night to book a spot in the third round of the Sigerson Cup.

The four-time champions looked set to cruise home when they held a commanding 11-point interval lead (1-11 to 0-3). Though the Barrowsiders rallied through Diarmuid Whelan and the lively Noel Gately, they ultimately fell short against Paddy Christie’s side.

After full-forward Brian Reape rattled the net inside the opening minute of the play, Micheál Bannigan (two), Cavan’s Dara McVeety and Darragh Rooney all found the target for DCU.

Jack Walsh pointed a free in the 10th-minute to get Carlow up and running, before Matthew Ruane, Luke Towey and David Garland all got on the scoresheet to offer the Dublin college a powerful advantage at the break.

They struggled to replicate their form on the resumption, however, as halftime substitute Whelan registered an impressive haul of seven points to drag his side back into contention.

Pat Critchley’s outfit managed to bring the gap down to four (1-14 to 0-13) , but late points from Ruane and McVeety ensured DCU claimed the spoils.

SCORERS – DCU: B Reape 1-3 (2f), M Bannigan 0-3 (1 ’45’), D McVeety, M Ruane, D Garland, D Rooney 0-2 each, S Akram, L Towey 0-1 each. IT Carlow: D Whelan 0-7 (5f), N Gately 0-3, J Walsh 0-2 (2f), C O’Toole, N Hughes 0-1 each.

DCU – E Comerford; C Morrison, B McCole, K Dwyer; C McManus, D McVeety, D Reynolds; T Galligan, M Ruane; L Towey, D Rooney, S Akram; M Bannigan, D Garland, B Reape. Subs: T Fox for Galligan (30+1, BC), D Marnell for Towey, J Bambrick for Morrison (both 51), P McNamara for McManus (54).

IT CARLOW – D Campbell; J Casey, R Hitchcock, J Mitchell; C O’Toole, E Buggie, T Collins; N Doyle, T Griffin; B Carr, N Hughes, D O’Sullivan; N Gately, S Ryan, J Walsh. Subs: P O’Toole for Ryan, D Whelan for Collins (both h-t), S Crowley for O’Sullivan (47), D Lawler for Buggie (55).

REF – B Cawley (Kildare)