St Mary's, Mullingar 1-11 Knockbeg Coll, Carlow 0-8:JOHN HESLIN, the St Mary's, Mullingar full forward, was the star of the show as the Westmeath school beat 2005 Hogan Cup winners Knockbeg College, Carlow, by a six-point margin in this first-round tie at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, yesterday.

The visitors made a dream start, with a Heslin point from play in the first minute followed in the second minute by the game's only goal when Niall Kershaw finished a loose ball to the net.

St Mary's led by 1-5 to 0-4 at half-time and Knockbeg had Martin O'Connor sent off early in the second which did not help their cause.

ST MARY'S, MULLINGAR: N O'Doherty; S Kennedy, B Hogan, C O'Donoghue; C Lyons, K Sheridan, S Gilmore; T Barry, D Gavin (0-1); E Morris, H Caulfied, K Campbell; A Caroon (0-3), J Heslin (0-7, four frees), N Kershaw (1-0). Sub: K Kirwan for Kennedy (21 mins).

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE, CARLOW: C Cunningham; N Bergin, B Lambe, D Moloney; M O'Connor, K Delaney, E Conlon; J Delaney, C Booth; A Dunne, F Egan, M Fleming; D O'Connor (0-1), R O'Connor (0-6, 0-5 frees, 0-1 line ball), J Sutton. Subs: R Moran for Dunne (45 mins); E Malone (0-1), for Fleming (51 mins); E Ryan for Bergin (56 mins).

Referee: Pat Kehoe (Carlow).