Tralee overwhelmed NUI Maynooth in the Sigerson Cup in Tralee yesterday despite having to line out without their All Star full forward Padraig Joyce of Galway, who is suspended.

Tralee turned on the style in the second half, but the first half was a torrid affair with Maynooth using their physical strength in an attempt to upset the Tralee side.

Pa O'Sullivan settled the home side with two early points and with Jimmy McGuinness dominating, Tralee added four more points before the break with Niall Sheehy's long-range effort being the highlight. This gave Tralee a 0-6 to 0-2 half-time lead but they looked anything like defending champions.

The second half saw a complete transformation in their play when the home side turned on the power and ended Maynooth's challenge in the first 10 minutes.

In this period they added six unanswered points, two each from Kerry players Pa O'Sullivan and Jack Ferriter and one from William Harmon and McGuinness.

Maynooth then had centre back Damien Gavan sent off for a second bookable offence and this finished any slim hopes of a revival. The rest of the game was mere target practice for Tralee with McGuinness, Ferriter and O'Sullivan kicking over a succession of points.

Ferriter, who kicked five points, was the man of the match and Tralee, who play UCC in the quarter-finals in Belfast tomorrow week, are now on course to make it three Sigersons in a row.

IT Tralee: N Hobbert; K Leen, E Reddan, D Hendy; N Sheehy (0-1), N Griffin, C Parkinson; J McGuinness (0-4), P Quinn; W Harmon (0- 1), P O'Sullivan (0-8, six from frees), N Kennelly (0-1); M Liddane, J Dennehy, J Ferriter (0-5, three from frees). Subs: N Garvan for Quinn, J Fleming for Kennelly, T McLoughlin for Parkinson. NUI

Maynooth: D O'Flaherty; N Murphy, D O'Sullivan, D O'Brien; P Noone, D Gavan, F McHugh; F O'Reilly, S Flanagan; N Towey, S Carey, P Winders; M Ryan, E Gorry (0-4, all frees), M O'Gara. Subs: B O'Hanlon for O'Gara, G Norton for Murphy, J M McDonald for Winders.

Referee: J Kearney (Cork).