Michael Murphy’s first game as Letterkenny Institute of Technology manager ended with a facile 32-point win over Ulster University, Coleraine at O’Donnell Park.
Letterkenny Institute of Technology 9-21 Ulster University Coleraine 3-7
The Donegal captain and Glenswilly star has taken on the reigns at the Port Road campus this year.
On a day when Enda McCormick kicked 2-8, LyIT were 11 up at half-time (4-9 to 2-4) and romped home in the second half.
They led through Michael Carroll’s goal after just six seconds and never looked back.
Carroll profited after Jason McGee won the throw-in and the Gaoth Dobhair man raced in to blast home.
Another of Murphy’s Donegal squad-mates, Darach O’Connor, netted in the second minute and already there was an air of inevitability for a side that also included the likes of Danny Rodgers and Michael Langan.
While James McKenna netted for Coleraine in the sixth minute, Carroll got the third LyIT goal in the 11th minute when he stroked home a penalty after a foul on McCormick.
John Campbell bagged the fourth, only for Daniel Cassidy to reduce the arrears with a penalty, but with McCormick adding three points to his tally, LyIT had an unassailable advantage at the short whistle.
Substitute Darragh Black fired home number five when he got possession via a delightful pick-up, while McCormick and O’Connor netted goals in quick succession.
Another sub, Daniel Brennan, was on the mark five minutes from the end and McCormick twisted the knife further with his second and LyIT’s ninth.
Letterkenny Institute of Technology: Danny Rodgers; Cormac Callaghan, Jack Scally, Connall O’Boyle (0-1); Nathan McElwaine, Callum Gallagher, Barry McGeehin; Jason McGee (0-1), Michael Carroll (2-2, 1pen); Enda McCormick (2-8), Michael Langan (0-2), Karl McGlynn; Darach O’Connor (2-1), John Campbell (1-4, 1f), Caolan McDaid. Subs: Gary Molloy for McDaid (half-time), Darragh Black (1-1) for McGee (half-time), James McSharry for McElwaine (36), Ciaran McFadden for McGeehin (38), Caoimhin Marley for Campbell (46), Ryan McMahon for Scally (46), Shane McColgan for O’Boyle (50), Daniel Brennan (1-1) for O’Connor (50), Blake Forkan for Rodgers (50), Aaron Lynch for McGlynn (50).
