Off to a flyer!

this half, notching up four points. Enan Glynn, Joey Driver (j), Jamie Byrne and Cian Staunton had points while Alan Driver scored the games second goal three minutes from time. Paddy Murphy was Leixlip’s sole scorer in this half, putting a further five points on the board.

Both sides will be glad to have gotten through their first competitive outing of the year unscathed and Glenealy in particular, will be pleased that some of the big guns continue to deliver.

Warren Kavanagh was impressive at full-back and the Glynns and Gavin Weir were the main threats up front.

The Glenealy forwards as a unit mastered the conditions well and were always trying to use the ball well.

Their next outing will be against Dublin side, Crumlin.

Scorers – Glenealy: Leighton Glynn 1-5, Gavin Weir 0-6, Jamie Byrne 0-2, Alan Driver 1-0, Wayne Kavanagh 0-1, Joey Driver(j) 0-1, Enan Glynn 0-1, Cian Staunton 0-1.

Leixlip: Paddy Murphy 0-8, Conor Burke 0-1, Stephan Ryan 0-1.

Glenealy: Joey Driver; Rory O’Neill, Warren Kavanagh, Lee Kavanagh; Shane Keogh, Tommy Doyle, Joey Driver (j); Jack Kavanagh, Emmet Byrne; John Manley, Alan Driver, Jamie Byrne; Gavin Weir, Enan Glynn, Leighton Glynn. Subs. - Wayne O’Gorman, Vinnie Flaherty, Ronan Manley, Cian Staunton.

Leixlip: Garret Savage; Niall Egan, John Doran, Brian Nicholson; Dermot Shinnors, Padraig Mulrennan, Lee Murphy; Lorcan Shinnors, Cormac Keegan; Cian Bracken, Stephan Ryan, Paddy Murphy; Conor Burke, Damian Carthy, Dan Lennon.

Referee: John Keenan (Aughrim) THE St. Patrick’s hurlers got off to a great start in the opening round of the Leinster Hurling League on Saturday, coming out with a win in Division 3, Group 2.

Mick Neary’s men took on the Dublin side St. Kevin’s in Newcastle GAA grounds on Saturday afternoon, which ended in a final score of 4-15 to 3-12.

St. Kevin’s looked to be the stronger side in the opening minutes of the game as half-back Brian Flannery blasted over a point from the centre of the field which was followed by his team mate Mannix Lawlor slotting over another score straight after.

The Wicklow lads were slow to get going and every break they got seemed to go wide. It wasn’t until about 10 minutes into the game that Andy O’ Brien found himself a clean break and with a super pass into the full-forward line the St. Pat’s lads managed to find the back of the net.

It was John “Dee” O’ Brien who then put St. Pat’s ahead for the first time in the game with an excellent point from play. Andy then blasted over another couple of scores as St. Pat’s found their rhythm and starting to cruise well ahead.

Just before the break, Stephen Harrington of St. Kevin’s and St. Pats’ Andy O’Brien found themselves receiving red cards after striking away from the ball. Referee Ciarán Manley made the call quickly resulting in a free to the Wicklow side. John Connors stood up to take this and blasted it into the back of the net.

John ‘Dee’ O’ Brien then took charge right before the half-time whistle, banging in another goal to finish up the opening half well ahead with a scoreline of 4-7 to 1-4.

St. Kevin’s came back fully charged in the second half however, chasing St. Pat’s down to the final whistle.

The Dublin side found themselves with a lot more chances at goal in the second half and if it wasn’t for the dogged Eoghan O’Mahony guarding the goal, then they may have ran away with a win.

Brian Flannery fired shot after shot at O’ Mahony and while he did manage to get two past him, he had plenty more chances which the Pat’s keeper sent straight back up to his forward line.

Tension started to build in the final minutes of the game as St. Kevin’s were trailing behind by three points at one stage. It was John O’ Brien then who finished his opponents chances when he popped over a final point just before the final whistle.

The game finished with a scoreline of 4-15 to 3-12 and Mick Neary’s men can now march on a high.

St. Patrick’s: Eoghan O’ Mahony; Tomas Kehoe, Andrew O’ Brien, Andrew Conway; Shane Doyle, Michael Connors, Niall Hanton; Christopher Moorehouse, Richard Quinn; John “Dee” O’ Brien, James “Bonner” O’ Brien, George O’ Brien; John “Greengrass” O’ Brien, James “Jimzer” O’ Brien, George O’ Connor. Subs: John Connors.

St. Kevin’s: Dara Hicks; Richard O’ Donoghue, Jamie Treacy, Stephen Harrington; Adam Mitchell, Brian Flannery, Graham Lawlor; Sean Mooney, Mark Keely; Graham Dunphy, Mannix Lawlor, David Reid; Adam Gorman, Gareth Cully, Cian O’ Carroll.

Referee: Ciaran Manley (Glenealy)