THE NEW MEATH and Cavan managers began their inter-county reigns on a triumphant note this afternoon but it was a bad start to the season for Tyrone with a potentially serious injury to attacker Connor McAliskey.
Andy McEntee saw his Meath charges storm to a comprehensive win over Wicklow in the O’Byrne Cup while Cavan boss Mattie McGleenan steered his team to a success over his native Tyrone in the Dr McKenna Cup.
Cillian O’Sullivan and Bryan McMahon fired home the goals for a Meath team that were in front 1-13 to 0-2 at the midway mark in Navan.
At Kingspan Breffni Park, both teams finished with 14 men as Tyrone’s Mattie Donnelly and Cavan’s Niall McDermott were dismissed.
Red Hands forward McAliskey was withdrawn in the closing stages after sustaining a serious looking knee injury while Michael Cassidy, Rory Brennan and Ronan O’Neill also came off with injury.
Gerard Smith’s 19th minute goal was the crucial score in spurring Cavan on to victory.
New Wexford manager Seamus McEnaney saw his team claim a draw against UCD while new Laois boss Peter Creedon saw his team defeat Dublin IT. There were also victories in the O’Byrne Cup for Offaly, Louth and Carlow.
In the Dr McKenna Cup, there were victories for Down, Armagh, St Mary’s, Monaghan and the students of University of Ulster Jordanstown.
O’Byrne Cup
Group 1
Wexford 2-14 UCD 1-17
Group 2
Offaly 5-18 IT Carlow 0-4
Group 3
Meath 2-22 Wicklow 0-9
Laois 1-15 Dublin IT 0-7
Group 4
Westmeath 0-11 Louth 1-9
Carlow 3-17 Maynooth University 0-16
Dr McKenna Cup
Section A
Down 1-11 Queen’s University 1-8
Derry 3-10 Armagh 2-12
Section B
Antrim 3-12 St Mary’s Belfast 2-16
Monaghan 1-13 Fermanagh 0-15
Section C
Cavan 1-13 Tyrone 0-12
Donegal 4-13 UUJ 2-20
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
