SIGERSON CUP NEWS AND REPORTTHIS WEEKEND'S Sigerson Cup finals could yet be postponed if Cork IT decide to object to yesterday's quarter-final defeat to Garda College. Team players and officials met last night to discuss their options, and will announce any potential course of action sometime today.

Garda College beat Cork IT by 1-10 to 1-8 in yesterday's quarter-final, which was rescheduled because of a previous objection over the eligibility of one of the Garda players. While Comhairle Ardoideachais (CAO), the governing body of the higher-education competitions, last week expelled the Templemore side on the basis that Graham Dillon was ineligible for the defeat of Carlow IT nearly three weeks ago, the GAA's Central Appeals Committee (CAC) reinstated them on Monday.

Dillon again played in yesterday's win and, according to Cork IT games development officer Keith Ricken, a similar objection is being considered: "We're getting advice on this, and we'll meet all club officials before deciding what route to take," he said.

The semi-finals and finals are to be hosted by Carlow IT this Friday and Saturday, and any objection by Cork IT would most likely result in their postponement. It is believed Carlow IT decided against pursuing a further appeal to the CAC decision because, as hosts of the Sigerson weekend, they would have been jeopardising their event.

In a niggling quarter-final yesterday the player at the centre of the controversy, right-wing back Dillon, was unwittingly involved in one of the game's decisive moments in first-half injury-time. He had just been replaced by Mark Harrington, who then slammed in his side's crucial goal to cancel out Colm O'Neill's sixth-minute effort for Cork IT and help Garda to a 1-6 to 1-3 interval lead, having played against the wind.

Cork IT levelled with three points inside 10 minutes but, despite having Rory Guinan sent off for a second yellow card offence after 38 minutes, Garda then responded with three points of their own.

Kerry's Bryan Sheehan kicked a couple of frees to bring Cork IT within striking distance, but Garda stood firm in five minutes' injury-time.

GARDA COLLEGE: P O'Connor; C Gill, C McGrath, A Pender; G Dillon, D Mullaghy, E Callaghan; A O'Mahony (capt), B Brennan (0-2, one free); S Buckley, R Guinan (0-4, two frees), A Dermody (0-1); J O'Brien (0-2, one free), M Cussen (0-1), J Keane. Substitute: M Harrington (1-0) for Dillon (28 mins).

CORK IT: B Kealy; R Carey, C Ryan, F Tobin; G O'Shea, E Hegarty, D Murphy; B Sheehan (0-2, frees), A Barry; H Curran (0-1), S McCarthy, P O'Flynn (0-1); C O'Neill (1-0), D Goulding (0-4, two frees capt), P Kerrigan. Substitutes: E Lyons for Barry (half-time), N Canty for Tobin (46 mins), R Leahy for Curran (47 mins), J McGrath for Kerrigan (57 mins).

Referee: R Moloney (Limerick).