IT Carlow avenged last year's final defeat to Mary Immaculate College in the first round of the Fitzgibbon Cup on the 3G pitch at Heywood Community College this afternoon.

Marty Kavanagh hit 0-9, while Richie Leahy scored the only goal as IT Carlow overcame the 38th minute dismissal of Mark Russell to win 1-22 to 0-22. Originally fixed for IT Carlow, the game saw the wind-assisted champions open up an early 0-5 to 0-0 lead, only for DJ Carey's men to storm back and trail by the minimum at the break, 1-10 to 0-14.

Carlow star Kavanagh scored five points in the opening half and added four more after the break as the 14 men prevailed. Patrickswell pair Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch scored 0-7 and 0-5 respectively for Jamie Wall's outfit.

On the 4G pitch in UL, Tipperary's Jason Forde posted 1-9 as the star-studded hosts overcame DIT by 3-29 to 4-17. Westmeath's Niall O'Brien also scored 1-9, but it wasn't enough for DIT who now face a must-win game against WIT on Thursday.

UL's Jason Forde.
©INPHO/Ken Sutton.

NUIG were the day's other winners - they beat Trinity College 2-22 to 0-13 in their opening round clash in Abbottstown.

IT Carlow - E Rowland (0-3f); S Reck, K Hannafin, R Brown; M Redmond, J Doyle, M Harney; C Dunford (0-2), R Leahy (1-1); S Downey, M Kavanagh (0-9, 6f, 1'65), C Dwyer (0-6); M Russell, J Fagan, C Dunbar (0-1).

Mary Immaculate College - E Cahill (0-3, 2f); C McCullagh, D Prendergast, C Stapleton; D Browne, S Taylor (0-1), T Grimes (0-1); J Mackey, L Meade (0-2); A Gillane (0-7, 6f, 1'65), C Lynch (0-5), P Ryan; G Cooney (0-1), T O'Mahony (0-1), B Corry (0-1). Subs: D Peters for C Stapleton, C Guilfoyle for B Corry, N Heffernan for P Ryan.

Referee - J Keenan.

**

UL - D McCarthy; A McGuane, B Troy, P Maher (0-1); G Hegarty, C Cleary, D Fitzgerald; T Kelly (0-2), R Lynch (0-5); I Galvin (0-2), K O'Brien (0-4), T Morrissey (0-2); J McGrath (1-2), J Forde (1-9, 0-5f), P Ryan (1-1). Subs: B Murphy for P Ryan, D Gleeson (0-1) for I Galvin, J Lennon for R Lynch, S Finn for P Maher, D Joy for G Hegarty.

DIT - S Brennan; P Cass, C Hendricken, W Kavanagh; T Doyle, D McNicholas (1-1, 1-0pen), L Kelly; E Dunne, J Cahill (0-2); N Mitchell, P Maher (2-1), L Blanchfield; N O'Brien (1-9, 0-7f), R Greville (0-2), C Ryan (0-2). Subs: C Taylor for T Doyle, J McGuirk for C Ryan, E Darcy for L Kelly.

Referee - J Ryan.

**

NUIG - S Hennessy; B Fitzpatrick, C Cosgrove, J Cronin Rogers; S Loftus (0-2), C Ryan, P Mannion (0-1); B Concannon (0-2), S Fletcher; C Mannion (0-3), D Burke (1-10, 0-8f, 0-1'65), G Loughnane; J Fox (1-2), M Lynch (0-1), A Helebert (0-1). Sub: C Salmon for A Helebert.

Trinity College - E Skelly; Ciaran Heeney, D O'Donoghue, D Ryan (0-1); L Corcoran, M Malone (0-1), E McNamara; M O'Keeffe, J O'Neill; C O'Sullivan (0-2), F O Riain Broin (0-8, 6f, 1'65), C O Riain Broin; J Walsh, C O'Carroll (0-1), S O'Connor. Subs: Cillian Heeney for C O Riain Broin, C McCarthy for C O'Sullivan, C Keating for D Ryan, C O Ceallaigh for J Walsh.

Referee - P O'Dwyer.

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