Freeman spot on as DIT advance

HIGHER EDUCATION SIGERSON AND FITZGIBBON CUPS/DIT  1-14 Carlow IT  0-11 (AET, 0-9 each after normal time):  MAYO'S ALAN Freeman was the big game changer for DIT in yesterday's Sigerson Cup clash at the O'Tooles grounds in Coolock, the Mayo man firing in the only goal of the game from a penalty in extra-time.

The early exchanges were tight and notable for two fine scores from the respective half backs.

First Conor Boyle executed a fine score on the run to edge Carlow in front. Then, David Hughes held off his marker before curling over a point from the left-hand side. The action was picking up now with former Dublin under-21 Gerry Seavers pointing from the right for Carlow IT, only for Gearoid McKiernan to draw the sides level. However, an injury-time free from Ben Brosnan saw Carlow go in to the break leading 0-5 to 0-4.

Two early second-half scores from Seaver and Brosnan stretched Carlow’s lead to three points, only for DIT to restore parity midway through the second half. The final quarter saw McKiernan prominent in midfield, and he pointed each side of a Darrach Mulhall score to force extra-time.

DIT were now the dominant team and finally made the telling breakthrough when Eoin Reilly was pulled down. Tom Hughes got down well to block Freeman’s initial effort, but the full forward was then on hand to shoot home at the second time of asking.

That left DIT up 1-11 to 0-10 at the turnaround and Carlow were to score just once more after that with Freeman finishing off a fine display with two late points.

DIT: A O’Mara; J Gill, A McLoughlin, R Tierney; D Hughes (0-2), B Menton, E Reilly; A O’Shea, G McKiernan (0-3); P Sherry (0-1), T Parsons, H Dawson (0-1); B Allen (0-1f), A Freeman 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), J McGrath. Subs: P Maguire for McGrath (half-time); P Cunningham for Tierney (32 mins); D Shatwell for Gill (37); P Schutte for Dawson (56); P O’Connor for O’Shea (77); R Hazely for Parsons (79)

CARLOW IT: T Hughes; A Nolan, C Lawlor, J Kinnehan; P Brogan, C Boyle (0-1), D Hayden; K Meaney, Brendan Quigley; D Foley, G Seaver (0-2), S Gannon; C Rogers, P Fogarty (0-1), B Brosnan (0-4, 3f, 1 45). Subs: B Hurley (0-1) for Rogers (42), D Mulhall (0-2, 1f) for Seaver (42 mins); D Carroll for Sherry (61); G Holmes for Nolan (61); Seaver for Brogan (70); Rogers for Carroll (79)

Referee: V Neary (Mayo).