Dublin young gun Dean Rock slotted 0-6 as DCU opened their Irish Daily Mail Sigerson Cup campaign with a hard-earned victory over Cork IT at Glasnevin.

DCU 0-11
Cork IT 0-8

Three of Rock's points came from play in a game which saw the star-studded Dublin outfit finish the stronger, despite having full forward Eoghan O'Gara sent off on a second yellow card with 10 minutes remaining. At that stage, DCU only led by a point, but they lifted their game and made sure of the win with late scores from Rock and Johnny Cooper.

Cork IT were the better team in the early stages and led by 0-4 to 0-2 after 18 minutes thanks largely to the accuracy of corner forward Donal Hodnett. A Rock point ensured DCU of parity - 0-5 apiece - at the break, but Brian O'Regan had the visitors ahead again soon after the restart.

A Rock brace restored DCU's lead before Hodnett levelled again. But with the Dublin quartet of Rock, Cooper, James McCarthy and Philly McMahon to the fore, and Westmeath's Kieran Gavin outstanding at full back, DCU finally got on top in the closing stages to seal a quarter-final berth.

Scorers - DCU: D Rock 0-6 (3f), J Cooper, J Brady, P Flynn, F O'Shea, D Keenan 0-1 each. Cork IT: D Hodnett 0-3 (2f), J O'Connor 0-2 (1f), H Curran, C Flemming, B O'Regan 0-1 each.

DCU - M Boyle (Donegal); P McMahon (Dublin), K Gavin (Westmeath), E Culligan (Dublin); N Collins (Roscommon), J Cooper (Dublin), J McCarthy (Dublin); F O'Curraoin (Galway), C Begley (Laois); P Flynn (Dublin), D Rock (Dublin), F O'Shea (Cork); J Brady (Cavan), E O'Gara (Dublin), G Sweeney (Dublin). Subs: A McFadden (Donegal) for F O'Shea (h-t), D Keenan (Roscommon) for G Sweeney (34).

Cork IT - B Kelly (Kerry); P Kilkenny (Kerry), M Griffin (Kerry), N Galvin (Cork); P Daly (Cork), D O'Sullivan (Kerry), B McGuire (Kerry); R O'Sullivan (Cork), S O'Donoghue (Cork); D Leahy (Tipperary), B O'Regan (Cork), J O'Connor (Cork); K Hallissey (Cork), H Curran (Cork), D Hodnett (Cork). Subs: J Cronin (Cork) for D Leahy (44), C Flemming (Cork) for J O'Connor (52), B O'Sullivan (Kerry) for S O'Donoghue (54).

REF - P Hughes (Armagh) Tweet

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