Kingscourt 1-15
Mullahoran 0-4

Kingscourt Stars hit the ground running in their senior championship opener this afternoon as they dismantled Mullahoran with 14 points to spare at Kingspan Breffni.

The Meath border outfit outscored their counterparts by 0-9 to no score in the opening 30 minutes and truly put a seal on things once Philly Smith's goal hit the Mullahoran net early on in the second-half.

In what was a repeat of the 2012 decider (which Mullahoran won), Barry Reilly top-scored for the Stars with 0-8 to his name and while the Dreadnoughts made an improvement for the second period, it's looking like they're in for a tough couple of weeks as they bid to hold on to their long-standing top tier status.

The signs were ominous for the Killydoon men early on as they's trail by 0-6 to nothing after 20 minutes, with four frees from Barry Reilly and close range scores from Barry Tully and Padraig Faulkner, whom were let cruise up from defence, giving the would-be winners a cushioned advantage.

Mullahoran couldn't find a way on the score-sheet with Faulkner and Colm Smith solid down the Meath border men's spine and the supply up the other end stayed constant as a result.

Ex-Cavan senior Philip Tinnelly clipped over his first with the aid of the upright to up the lead to seven in the 22nd minute and the trailers did well not to concede a goal in the ensuing eight minutes up to half-time.

Kingscourt would have to settle for points instead and Reilly was again the provider, with his fifth free, before Tinnelly cut through to leave the scoreboard reading 0-9 to 0-0 at the half.

Dermot Sheridan would be on for the start of the second-half for Mullahoran and they'd land their first of the afternoon two minutes into the resumption thanks to some good work from Shane Sheils, who finished from 30 metres.

A Reilly free was the immediate Kingscourt response and they'd pile on the misery in the 37th minute when Joe Dillon's blocked effort was bundled over William O'Reilly's goal line by veteran forward Philly Smith.

After that, both teams proceeded to empty their respective benches with the game up and that suited Mullahoran to hit back-to-back points for the first time through their marksman Enda O'Reilly, which helped bring their tally up to four towards the closing stages.

Kingscourt continued to convert their dominance though, as Tinnelly and subs Darragh Gunne and Sean Burke completed the 14-point rout on what was well and truly an afternoon to forget for one of the county's traditional giants.

Kingscourt: James Farrelly; Cathal McKeown, Padraig Faulkner (0-1), Shane Grey; Barry Tully (0-1), Colm Smith, Ciaran Roe; Barry  Reilly (0-8, 6f), Alan Clarke; Joe Dillon, Philip Tinnelly (0-3), Christy McGowan; Philly Smith (1-0), Peter Corrigan, Keith McCabe. Subs: Darragh Gunne (0-1) for P Smith (38mins), Noel McIntyre for C Roe (40), Sean Burke (0-1) for K McCabe (44), Paddy Farrelly for C Smith (48), Cian McArdle for C McGowan (58), Seanie Farrelly for P Corrigan (60).

Mullahoran: William O'Reilly, Callum Mussi, James Reilly, Cian O'Reilly; Matthew Hynes, Sean McKeogh, Sean Cadden; Daniel O'Reilly, Killian Brady; Daniel Smith, Enda O'Reilly (0-3, 2f), Kevin Fitzsimons; Shane Sheils (0-1), Philip Brady, Fionnan O'Reilly. Subs: Dermot Sheridan for D Smith (HT), Colm O'Reilly for S Cadden (46mins), Liam Wilson for K Fitzsimons (39), Paddy Brady for Philip Brady (40), Derrick Dalton for F O'Reilly (48).

Ref: Martin Sexton (Cavan Gaels)

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