It was freezing in Belfield last night and this Sigerson Cup first-round match did little to raise the mercury but UCD secured a fine 13 points to 4 victory over Athlone I.T

UCD were comfortably superior to their plucky, but limited opponents, and the match never threatened to ignite into the sort of contest that might have really warmed the cockles.

UCD started brightly with two fine points, but by the 20-minute mark Athlone were still in the contest, trailing 0-4 to 0-3. UCD upped the intensity before the break to score three unanswered points, and with the benefit of a stiff breeze to come in the second half one knew the favourites would win this without too much bother.

And so it came to pass. Even though they had to toil hard for them, they scored the first four points of the second half to make the win safe as leading lights like Rory O’Carroll, Shane Redmond and Alan Giles set the tone. Redmond in particular was impressive, the Carlow man showed his colleagues in the forward line how to find the posts by sallying forth from his wing-back berth to kick two eye-catching points from distance.

UCD needed his inspiration, because with Donie Kingston having a rare off-night, their forward line didn’t pose the sort of threat it can when the Laois man is in the zone. They didn’t need him at their best in this match though, because while Athlone never stopped trying, a solitary point was all they had to show for their second-half endeavours.

But even though UCD won handily in the end, they didn’t do it with all the dash and style that they are certainly capable of and will certainly up their game in the next round in order to challenge for the cup.

Scorers for UCD: A Giles 0-3, S Redmond, L Smith, C Carty (2f), D Kingston (2f), all 0-2, C Murphy, K Dyas both 0-1

Athlone IT: D McGovern, A Sullivan, P Bannon, E Clarke (f) all 0-1.

UCD: M Macgfhionnlaoch (Donegal); J Hayes (Cavan), C Forde (Galway), P Kelly (Kildare); C Barrett (Mayo), R O’Carroll (Dublin), S Redmond (Carlow); Colm Murphy (Dublin), Mark Coghlan (Dublin); C Carthy (Wexford), K Dyas (Armagh), C Dias (Dublin); D Larkin (Meath), D Kingston (Laois), A Giles (Westmeath).

Subs: L Smith (Dublin) for D Larkin (43), R Mallon (Down) for C Carthy (46), L Cawley for C Dias (57), L Keaney (Donegal) for R O’Carroll (60)

ATHLONE IT: G Connaughton (Westmeath); R Dunne (Offaly), C Duignan (Roscommon), D Maleady (Offaly); A Rowan (Longford), M McCallon (Westmeath), T Rahill (Meath); D Cash (Kildare), P Bannon (Westmeath); E Clarke (Laois), J Dolan (Westmeath), A Sullivan (Offaly); A Caul (Dublin), F Burke (Galway), D Egan (Offaly).

Subs: D McGovern (Meath) for D Maleady, C Duggan (Galway) for E Clarke both half-time, P Masterson (Longford) for D Egan (55)

Referee: M Deegan (Laois).