SIEGERSON CUP - SLIGO IT 3-12 DCU 4-5: Cavan's Gerard Pearson turned this Sigerson Cup second round game firmly in the reigning champions' favour with a well-taken, 44th-minute goal in an action-packed encounter at the IT grounds, Ballinode, yesterday.

Pearson put the home side a point ahead with a superb goal after nine minutes, and his second goal, after a DCU forward took his eye off the ball following a great move by the visitors, put IT seven points in front.

Dublin county player Thomas Quinn accounted for all of the DCU scores, including a couple of goals from the penalty spot.

Two points from frees by the tenacious left-corner forward reduced the deficit to four points after 42 minutes, but DCU failed to score again until the 57th minute. In between IT scored 1-3.

The Sligo college opened the scoring with a Mark Brehony point on five minutes, before Quinn put DCU ahead with a penalty when he was taken down in front of goal.

Galway's Nicky Joyce beat Stephen Cluxton in the DCU goal with a shot in the 13th minute to give IT the lead, and they led by 2-7 to 2-3 at half-time.

Paul Finlay and Joyce extended the IT lead early in the second half, but they had to withstand late DCU pressure as the visitors pushed for goals late on.

IT: P Durcan; J McKeon, P Kelly, J Jordan; A Higgins, E McGee, K Cassidy; B Boyle (0-1), P Brady; C Toye, P Finlay (0-3, 2fs), M Moyles (0-1), M Brehony (0-2), N Joyce (1-3, 2fs), G Pearson (2-1.) Subs: D Barden for Toye; M Dunnion for McKeon; P Harte for Boyle; R Haran (0-1) for Moyles; D Ward for Pearson.

DCU: S Cluxton; M Fitzpatrick, P Casey, P Stephens; B McCormack, B Cullen, J O'Reilly; B Sheehan, N Browne; J Slattery, J Tierney, P McGinnity; F Mone, K Devine, T Quinn (4-5, two pens, 2fs). Subs: R McCabe for O'Reilly; F Brady for Slattery; B Stokes for McGinnity.

Referee: G Kinneavy (Roscommon).