Michael Bannigan was the match winner for DCU at St Clare’s yesterday as his late flurry of points squeezed the hosts past Garda College (0-11 to 0-9) in the opening round of the Sigerson Cup.

Following the 49th-minute dismissal of Dublin senior Paddy Small, the four-time champions looked set for an early exit. However, when Garda netminder Shaun Patton also received his marching orders at the end of normal time, DCU were suddenly afforded a much-needed lifeline.

Monaghan native Bannigan subsequently levelled matters off with the resulting free before adding another brace to set up a quarter-final showdown against Queen’s University, Belfast next Sunday.