NUIG - 0-14 MICE - 1-4:FITZGIBBON CUP: NUIG took a long time to shake off the gritty challenge of MICE in an entertaining Fitzgibbon Cup game at Limerick yesterday.

Playing with the strong wind in the first half, the visitors had that menacing look about them as they led 0-6 to 0-1, with Tony Ruth, Richard Devanney, Jonathan Lynch and Tom O'Donovan sharing their points.

Diarmuid McMahon had MICE's lone reply, and saw his colleagues shoot a string of wides.

On the change of ends the home side stepped up their challenge, and Dave Brouder and Dave O'Dwyer rekindled their hopes. Looking for inspiration, NUIG introduced Clare's Killian Neylon and he took a firm grip on proceedings by sending over four rapid-fire points.

With a 0-10 to 0-4 advantage, NUIG were on their way to a meeting with UCC, but had to sweat it out again after Pat Buckley fired a late free to the net.

NUIG: P Dullahan; D Joyce, T O'Regan, G O'Grady; D Clancy, R Cooney (0-1), J Lynch (0-2); B McMahon, T O'Donovan (0-1); S O'Donoghue, D Shannon, J Culkin (0-2); R Devanney (0-2), F Lynch, R Ruth (0-2). Sub: K Neylon (0-4) for Culkin.

MICE: S Bulfin; G Kelleher, R Murray, P Reale; G Heageney, B Wall, D Brouder (0-2); D McMahon, P O'Reilly; N Kelly, P Buckley (1-0); A Lawlor, E Vaughan (0-1), D O'Dwyer (0-1), B Cullinane.

Referee: S McMahon (Clare).