IT TOOK DUBLIN just two minutes to net their first goal of the 2015 inter-county season when Eoghan O’Gara raised the green flag against Maynooth University in their Bord Na Mona O’Bryne Cup clash in Parnell Park this afternoon.
The 2013 All-Ireland champions held a 1-7 to 0-3 half time lead and looked to be cruising until Meath’s Barry Dardis found the back of the net for the students to reduce the gap to four points on 40 minutes.
However, Jim Gavin’s men kicked on to run out comfortable 1-12 to 1-5 winners.
Elsewhere in Group 1, goals from Bernard Allen and Nigel Bracken were enough to give Offaly a 2-12 to 0-9 victory over local rivals Laois in Tullamore.
In Group 2, Kildare’s quest for a fourth title in five years got underway in impressive style, Tomás O’Connor scoring the game’s only goal in a 1-16 to 0-7 win over Louth while UCD had three points to spare over Carlow.
In Group 3, Meath ran out 1-13 to 0-10 winners over Westmeath in a game delayed due to crowd congestion while there were wins for DIT and Wicklow over Wexford and Carlow IT respectively in Group 4.
In the McGrath Cup preliminary round, Cork enjoyed a facile win over Mary Immaculate College. Brian Cuthbert’s charges outscored their opponents 7-20 to 0-4 with Colm O’Driscoll, Donncha O’Connor, Fiachra Ó Deasuinaigh, John Hayes, Eoin Cadogan and Jamie O’Sullivan among those who found the back of the net.
Waterford beat the University of Limerick in the day’s other game.
In Connacht’s FBD League there were wins for Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and defending champions Leitrim.
Results
Bord Na Mona O’Byrne Cup
Dublin 1-12 Maynooth University 1-5
Offaly 2-12 Laois 0-9
Kildare 1-16 Louth 0-7
UCD 0-18 Carlow 1-12
Meath 1-13 Westmeath 0-10
Wicklow 2-14 Carlow IT 2-8
DIT 1-12 Wexford 0-14
FBD Insurance Connacht League
Galway 0-14 Sligo 0-5
Mayo 1-13 NUIG 1-11
Roscommon 0-14 Sligo IT 0-5
Leitrim 3-17 GMIT 1-7
McGrath Cup
Cork 7-20 Mary Immaculate College 0-4
Waterford 1-16 University of Limerick 2-7
