Curraha 2-06 Kilmainham 0-11 

Curraha's second string got their championship campaign off to a winning start while hosting Kilmainham on a sunny Bank Holiday afternoon. 

The visitors opened the scoring soon after the throw in with a point from play, scores were hard to come by thereafter with the home side guilty of some wayward shooting. 

A pointed free from Ciaran Phelan levelled matters just before the water break.

Kilmainham edged in front again with a point and then on twenty two minutes Ben Heagney was in the right place to find the back of the net as the ball was played across the goalmouth 

Kilmainham responded with two well taken points as the opening half drew to a close with the sides level, 1-01 to 0-04.

On the resumption Kilmainham were in control and posted three unanswered points until Robert McGoveran split the posts with a fine effort. 

Curraha lost midfielder Evan McGoveran to a second yellow card on forty one minutes with the visitors converting the resulting free.

A further Kilmainham point before the second water break gave them a four point advantage. 

Another Kilmainham point followed until Curraha responded with a second point for Robert McGoveran and a point from Ruari O'Sullivan. The gap was then narrowed to two points with a pointed  free from Declan Hanly who had come on as a substitute to mark his thirty second season having made his debut back in 1989.

With Hanley sending over another free the gap was down to the minimum with time ticking away.

Kilmainham will rue some missed opportunities as Curraha launched another attack and with the ball running loose in the goalmouth it was Ben Heagney again on hand to steer it to the net.

There was still time for one final Kilmainham attack and when they were awarded a close range free the resulting kick went just over the crossbar to leave the Ha one point winners as the referee whistled for full time. 

It was interesting to see that club veteran Declan Hanley is an uncle of young Ben Heagney who marked his championship debut with two goals.

This was an entertaining game with both sides giving their all and from a Curraha perspective there were good performances from several championship debutants as well the the more experienced players. 

As well as Heagney, Robert McGoveran, Matthew Webb, Simon McDermott and Joey Coyle showed well in a spirited team performance.

Curraha: L. Mccarthy,  M.Phelan, M. Webb, C. McAleese,  J. Coyle, S. McDermott,  R. McEntee, C. Joyce, E. McGoveran, R. O'Sullivan 0-01, A. Coyle, R. McGoveran 0-02, C. Phelan 0-01, A. O'Connor, B. Heagney 2-00. Subs. D. Hanley 0-02 for A. O'Connor, PJ. McMahon for C. McAleese. 

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