Queen's nearly let lead slip again

It was nearly a case of deja vu for Queen's in yesterday's Heineken Sigerson Cup preliminary round in Belfast. Last year hosts Queen's blew an eight-point lead in the semi-final against the Garda College. This time, they led Sligo IT by nine points with less than 20 minutes remaining and allowed their opponents to dominate the closing stages and rack up six unanswered points.

Despite this nervous conclusion, the home side held out for a threepoint win. Their lead had been built on two goals, from Fermanagh's Liam McBarron and Tyrone's Cormac McAnallen. Sligo intercounty player Gerry McGowan had cut Queen's interval lead to two points with a goal just after halftime but his team surrendered the initiative.

Match of the day was in Maynooth where the home side went to extra-time against Waterford IT before losing by a point, 1-16 to 2-14. A goal by Tipperary dual player and former football All Star Declan Browne - whose goals helped WIT to last year's Fitzgibbon Cup - set the trend for a match which Waterford should have won in ordinary time.

But having led by five points going into the last quarter, they were caught by a Maynooth rally and a Thomas Cullen goal brought up the extra-time. Again WIT sprinted clear but another comeback by the home side cut the margin.

Last year's finalists the Garda College bit the dust early with defeat in Ballincollig by Cork IT. Michael Reidy was the hero for the winners and finished with a haul of 1-5. His goal was the difference between the teams at half-time when CIT led 1-4 to 0-4.

In the remaining match, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, were comfortable winners over Dundalk Institute of Technology. It was the first time that Dundalk had hosted a Sigerson Cup match and they made a poor start as Kerry's Dara O Cinneide - formerly of UL and a familiar name in the competition - set Limerick on their way with six points in their opening 25 minutes.

The visitors were leading 0-9 to no score just before the interval but the home side got back into the game at 0-9 to 0-5. Unfortunately their corner back Thomas Dillon accidentally knocked the ball into his own net while under pressure from O Cinneide and MICL were never subsequently threatened.