DCU issue Sigerson Cup statement of intent with Ulster University win
DCU's Lorcan O'Dell takes a shot. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
With 32 minutes on the clock at the Burren GAA grounds in Down, you got the feeling that this could be Ulster University's game.
Just a point down after landing a two-pointer, and with the significant breeze now behind them for the rest of the second-half, the 2024 champions were in a strong position.
Barry Dillon's crew didn't figure, however, on a previously wasteful DCU suddenly finding their mojo and turning a tricky situation into an eventual 14-point shellacking.
In those 30 or so minutes, tournament hosts and title holders DCU made a strong case for being competition favourites as they tore their old rivals to shreds, reeling off 2-3 without response and outscoring their opponents by 3-7 to 0-5 in the entire second-half.
The same sides couldn't be separated after the hour when they met in last season's semi-final in Cavan.
But by the three-quarter stage in this rematch it was pretty clear that DCU would win at their ease as a side inspired by Roscommon's Jack Tumulty and Dubliner Lorcan O'Dell in attack upped the ante.
Tumulty finished with 1-4 while Ulster University were powerless to prevent All-Ireland senior medalist O'Dell using his pace from centre-forward to carve open their defence, pinching three points and creating several more.
Luke Marren came on and grabbed DCU's third goal to wrap it up in the 49th minute.
Marren finished with 1-2 and made a pressing case for inclusion from the start against MTU Cork or UL in Round 2A next week.
Ethan Dunne and Greg McEneaney, Skerries and Dublin team-mates, were key figures in last year's win and were both influential again.
Ulster University will be disappointed at how easy DCU had it after the break and will look for a big response when they face the losers of the MTU Cork/UL game in Round 2B next weekend.
Michael Tansley, fresh off starting in goals for Kerry before Christmas, lined out for DCU but didn't have a whole pile to do. The closest Ulster University came to a goal was a James Quinn shot that hit the crossbar in the 24th minute.
Six-times champions DCU dominated the first-half play with the wind but seven wides meant they led by just 0-6 to 0-3 at half-time.
Tumulty scored four of those first-half DCU points while Senan Baker struck the other two though palmed his second over after 22 minutes when it probably should have been a goal.
And when Charlie Diamond nailed a two-pointer for Ulster University early in the second-half, cutting the gap to just a point, 0-6 to 0-5, it looked like they might make DCU pay for their profligacy.
But they failed to take advantage of the wind and only managed to strike another three points in the entire game, one of which was a two-pointer from Lorcan McGarrity.
Tyrone's McGarrity had to leave the field after a heavy hit midway through the second-half though DCU were already well ahead at that stage.
Dunne, Conor Dolan and Niall Dolan all got on the scoresheet for the Glasnevin outfit as they strode through to within an hour of a quarter-final spot.
Meanwhile, TU Dublin, beaten on penalties in last season's semi-final, scored a 2-17 to 1-11 Round 1 win over DKIT.
Conor Clarke's goal for DKIT, along with points from rising Meath star Jamie Murphy and Monaghan's Stephen Mooney, left the Dundalk side 1-6 to 0-7 up at half-time.
But a thrilling finish from hosts TU Dublin, who reeled off two goals in the closing 20 minutes, secured a Round 2A tie with MTU Kerry next week.
J Tumulty 1-4; L Marren 1-2; C Dolan 1-0; L O'Dell 0-3; Senan Baker 0-2 (1 free); N Dolan, E Dunne 0-1 each.
L McGarrity 0-4 (1 tp, 2 frees); C Diamond 0-3 (1 tp); C Cush 0-1 (1 free).
M Tansley (Kerry); J Bannon (Dublin), L Kelly (Meath), B Masterson (Longford); E Ward (Roscommon), G McEneaney (Dublin), E O'Connor Flanagan (Dublin); D Joyce (Mayo); E Dunne (Dublin); C Heffernan (Laois), L O'Dell (Dublin), D Swords (Kildare); C Dolan (Kildare), S Baker (Westmeath), J Tumulty (Roscommon).
E Crowe (Cavan) for Kelly (36); N Dolan (Kildare) for Swords (45); L Marren (Sligo) for C Dolan (46); C Quigley (Meath) for Bannon (51); D Crowley (Kildare) for O'Dell (58).
R Burns (Down); H Magill (Down), B Cullen (Tyrone), R Boyle (Monaghan); C Diamond (Derry), J McDermott (Derry), E Magee (Armagh); L McGarrity (Tyrone), R Magill (Down); C Cush (Tyrone), J Quinn (Tyrone), J Donaghy (Tyrone); J Doran (Down), G Mohan (Monaghan), D McDermott (Derry).
S Carr (Down) for E Magee (15); M Finn (Monaghan) for Mohan (40); D McNicholl (Antrim) for McGarrity (46).
E Mallon (Armagh).
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