SIGERSON CUP DCU 2-14 St Mary's, Belfast 1-5:DEFENDING SIGERSON Cup Champions DCU beat St Mary's, Belfast, yesterday with the minimum of fuss to qualify for this year's quarter-finals.

On the evidence of this showing you’d have to make them favourites to retain their crown too. They have intercounty players manning every line of the field and plenty more on a substitutes’ bench.

From very early on they were quite clearly in a different class than St Mary’s who never stopped battling but just couldn’t cope with DCU’s pace and power.

A goal from flying wing-back Colm Begley mid-way through the first half put his side in control of the match and by the break they led 1-8 to 0-3.

The second half was a niggly affair and DCU’s David O’Gara and Ruairi Keenan of St Mary’s were both red carded in quick succession, but the sendings off did little to alter the balance of power.

The impressive David Kelly underlined DCU’s dominance with a second goal and though St Mary’s rallied with a Peter Harte penalty, it was only a consolation score.

DCU: R Hennelly; K Nolan, K Gavin, S Ormsby (0-1); J McCarthy (0-1), B Cullen, C Begley (1-0); M McElhinney (0-2), N McAdam; D O'Gara (0-1), M Lyng (0-1), P Flynn (0-2); P Andrews (0-1), M Murphy (0-3, frees), D Kelly (1-2). Subs: N Collins for B Cullen (38 mins), C McGuinness for P Andrews (47 mins), C Rafferty for M Murphy (51 mins), C Cregg for M Lyng (55 mins), D Keenan for J McCarthy (57 mins).

ST MARY'S: T Harney; M Slane, P Martin, E McArdle; C Campbell, B Canavan, S O'Neill; C Doyle, M McKenna; B Herron (0-1, free), K Mossey (0-2, 0-1 free), Peter Harte (1-1, 1-0 pen); J Gilmore, K Connolly, R Keenan. Subs: O MacOmlair for J Gilmore (47 mins), S McKenna for B Herron (43 mins), D Canavan (0-1) for K Connolly (55 mins).

Referee: P Fox(Westmeath).