The last time student James Colhoun attempted to win an Irish tennis title was last summer when he beat Roscoe Tanner in an early round. Colhoun (20) revisited the Irish scene, this time at the David Lloyd Indoor championships at Riverview last evening, and won in straight sets.

A 6-4 6-0 win over Belfast's Anthony Sinclair gave Colhoun a measure of additional satisfaction given that he arrived at the venue only five minutes before the start. "I had no time to warm up but I settled after the first set and felt relaxed in the second."

Colhoun got one break of serve in that competitive opening set for a crucial 4-3 lead. His more authoritative game came sharply into focus to win in just an hour. Sinclair had hoped for a better draw and long before the second set was decided he looked demoralised. His defensive shots presented Colhoun with many invitations for winners and he was rarely allowed to come to the net.

Colhoun is virtually certain to get in line for a showdown with SeβCooper, the number four seed, as his second-round opponent is a young player whom he coaches, David Pickerill.

Ross Niland made an auspicious start on behalf of the Limerick family by showing too much guile and general strength for Cork's Eoin Mawe.

Niland's younger brother, Conor, is the top seed while his sister, former Irish champion Gina, is the third favourite for the women's crown behind Elsa O'Riain and Ann-Marie Hogan. The Limerick man's match against top Irish junior Barry King will be his first real test this evening.

DETAILS: Men's Singles, first round - F Lennon bt K Noble 6-3 2-6 6-4; R Green bt L Doyle 7-6 2-6 6-2; J Colhoun bt A Sinclair 6-4 6-0; Ross Niland bt E Mawe 6-1 6-1; S O'Connor bt R Neiland 6-1 6-3; G Doran bt D Rowan 6-3 6-3; E O'Reilly bt B Coleman 6-0 3-6 6-2; C O'Brien bt C Gibney 6-1 6-1; P Morrissey bt C Murphy 6-3 6-1; M Finnegan bt D McLoughlin 6-2 6-0; C ╙ Morain bt R Martin 6-3 6-2; A Hogan bt M Martin 6-1 6-1; C Dolan bt S Molle 6-3 6-1.