Usual suspects start Premier Division campaign on the front foot

THREE of last season’s top four got their new PremierHiSpecCars.com Premier Division campaigns off to winning starts on the opening weekend.

Defending champions Drinagh Rangers, under new management, were too strong at home to Mizen Hob A as they recorded a 2-0 win. Tom McQueen opened the scoring in the first half and the ever-reliable Barry O’Driscoll (H) added a second goal in the 65th minute. This follows on from Drinagh’s 2-0 Micheál Cronin Cup final victory against Dunmanway Town the previous Wednesday, Gearoid White and Brendan O’Donovan scoring the goals.

Last season’s runners-up Dunmanway Town raced out of the traps in their Premier opener at home to Lyre Rovers. Three goals in the opening 15 minutes set up a 3-0 win, with Oran McCarthy netting in the opening minute before Cullan Barry added a brace. Bunratty United, who finished third last season, were held to a 1-1 against newly-promoted Sullane. The Championship winners went ahead after 13 minutes but Bunratty equalised in the second half through a Danny McSweeney effort.

Joe Edmead made it back-to-back hat-tricks when he scored three times as Clonakilty Soccer Club, who finished fourth last season, beat Skibbereen 5-0. Edmead also hit a hat-trick in Clon’s Parkway Hotel/Maybury Coaches Cup win against Aultagh Celtic the previous weekend. Chris Collins and Shane Buttimer also scored for Clon against Skibb.

There was no joy for newly-promoted Beara United when they lost 2-0 at home to Togher Celtic. Adrian Hurley and Luke Hurley scored first-half goals for Lyre to make the long trip west worthwhile.

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There were goals galore in the opening weekend of the OBrienWaterServices.com Championship with 20 scored across five games. Castlelack FC and Drinagh Rangers B drew 2-2, as Damien Fernandez and Tomas Jenning goals for Drinagh sandwiched Castlelack efforts from Oisin O’Mahony and Luke Elliott.

Aultagh Celtic B and Spartak Mossgrove also drew 2-2. Second-half goals from Cian Kennefick and Colm Sexton had looked to have given Aultagh B all three points, but Spartak struck late with efforts from Micheál McSweeney and James Burrows to level the game. There was better news for Aultagh’s first team that beat Sullane B 4-1 thanks to goals from Colm O’Neill (2), Ronan Lynch and Shane Murray. Shane Creed scored a consolation goal for Sullane B.

Kilgoban Celtic beat Baltimore 2-0 with second-half goals from Cillian O'Brien and Muris Buttimer. Annraoi Creedon scored the winner for Ardfield in a 3-2 victory over Skibbereen Celtic. Ruaidhri Gallagher Spenser gave Skibb the lead before Oisin Murray levelled; it was 1-1 at half time. Luke O’Sullivan nudged the Skibbereen team back in front early in the second half, before Murray levelled again. Then Creedon came up with the match-winner in the 56th minute