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O'Connor appears on course for Mayo's Connacht SFC clash with Galway on 14 June (file photo). Donall Farmer/INPHO
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Good news, Mayo fans! Cillian O'Connor played (briefly) in Ballintubber's win today

Castlebar and Ballina both won their opening matches on Saturday evening.

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

Austin Stacks took the first step in defending their Kerry football crown today

The All-Ireland club football champions have got their 2015 campaign off to a winning start