Updated 20.10
CILLIAN O’CONNOR WAS shown a black card as champions Ballintubber opened the defence of their Mayo senior football title with a win.
O’Connor missed a chunk of Mayo’s league campaign and needed surgery on a knee injury, but returned to club action in a 15-point win over Ballinrobe.
He came off the bench as a second-half sub and scored a point before he was ordered off with a black card just 16 minutes later.
Elsewhere on Sunday there were wins for Knockmore, Breaffy, Kiltane and Garrymore in their opening round-robin games.
On Saturday, Castlebar Mitchels launched the bid to regain the crown they won in 2013 with a four-point win against Ballaghaderreen.
The 2013 champions, who have been involved in four of the last five county finals, trailed by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break.
But Declan O’Reilly’s men held the visitors to just one point in the second half in Castlebar.
Meanwhile Ballina Stephenites ran out seven-point winners against Claremorris in Saturday’s other Group 2 clash.
Ballina led by two points after a close-fought opening half, 0-7 to 0-5, but pulled away after the break to open with a comfortable victory.
Mayo senior football championship - Sunday
Group 1:
- Knockmore 0-15 Ballyhaunis 1-9
- Breaffy 1-10 Davitts 1-9
Group 3:
- Ballintubber 1-23 Ballinrobe 1-8
Group 4:
- Kiltane 1-16 Shrule/Glencorrib 1-14
- Garrymore 2-12 Charlestown 1-11
Saturday
Group 2:
- Castlebar Mitchels 0-10 Ballaghaderreen 0-6
- Ballina Stephenites 1-11 Claremorris 0-7