Eireann Fiztgibbon Cup get under way with seven first-round matches and one preliminary-round tie. THERE were few surprises yesterday in the opening round, with holders UCC, many people's favourites Waterford IT and Garda College all progressing.

But Eamonn Cregan's Mary Immaculate, Limerick, did defeat a more fancied DIT outfit in Terenure. It took an mis-hit free in injury-time from centre-fielder David Loughrey to eke out the one-point win.

The Limerick college had kept pace with the match throughout and levelled a two-point interval deficit within a few minutes. DIT persevered and Ollie Canning's point with a minute of normal time left looked to have settled the match. But Loughrey's goal left the visitors ahead 1-13 to 0-14.

Match of the day was at Templemore, where Garda College left their winning burst until late in extra-time to see off University of Limerick by five points. The winners were made fight all the way by a vigorous Limerick team who looked on course for a good half-time lead until a blitz of 1-2, including Michael Hubbard's 28th-minute goal, overturned the deficit for Garda to lead 1-5 to 07.

Edward Brennan's goal just after the re-start set the home team apparently on their way, but a late, unanswered sequence of four points tied the match up at the end of the hour. Ultimately Ollie Baker's team was too strong and outscored UL 0-6 to 0-1 in extra-time for a 2-14 to 0-15 victory.

At the Mardyke, holders UCC advanced to the quarter-finals with a 0-14 to 0-9 win over a spirited IT Tralee. Only John Enright remains of the illustrious three-in-a-row attack but he did his bit with six points. Tralee compounded their difficulties by inaccurate shooting but Cork were convincing winners after a late flourish.

Late first-half goals from Waterford's Dave Bennett and Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin put Waterford IT into a virtually unassailable half-time lead of 3-9 to 0-5 against Athlone IT. Assisted by a stiff breeze in the first half, the Waterford side coasted to a comfortable victory with Bennett and Shefflin between them adding 1-5 in the third quarter without reply. To Athlone's credit they continued to battle for the final whistle and were deservedly rewarded with late goals from Padraig Hammond and Darren Shaughnessy.

Late goals at Dangan helped NUI Galway to a lavish 12-point victory over local rivals the Galway and Mayo Institute but the losers were a little hard-done by the final score, 5-12 to 1-12.

There were comfortable wins for DCU, 0-19 to 0-6 over Queen's, and Limerick IT who beat UUJ 1-16 to 0-5 in the remaining preliminary round match.