Impressive opener for Sweeney’s Moorefield

RONAN SWEENEY began life as a manager in the Kildare SFC with a comprehensive win as Moorefield beat Carbury by 2-20 to 1-6 on Saturday in Newbridge.

Éanna O’Connor was in superb form as his father Jack, the Kildare manager, watched from the terraces. He scored 12 points from 12 shots, ten frees, to go with goals in either half from Ciarán Kelly and Ian Meehan.

It’s 20 years since Kildare won their last Leinster title and a couple of Sweeney’s former teammates had good weekends. Tadhg Fennin’s first game in charge of St Laurence’s ended with a 0-14 to 0-12 win.

Glenn Ryan’s Round Towers beat a fancied Naas team by 1-11 to 0-11. Towers were the better throughout and a Matthew Kelly goal helped them to a 1-7 to 0-5 half-time lead.

Naas were handed a golden opportunity to draw when they were awarded an injury-time penalty but Eamon Callaghan’s effort was pushed around the post by James Robinson.

Celbridge enjoyed a big win over Confey. David Hughes scored a hat-trick of goals in a 4-20 to 2-7 win but teenager Aaron Browne stole the show by kicking six points from play.

Clane held last year’s Intermediate champions Monasterevan to just two points when scoring 3-17 themselves. Kyle Devey, Ethan O’Donohue and Ciarán Brady got their goals.

Raheens registered an impressive 3-9 to 0-8 win over a Maynooth side who badly missed injured county star Neil Flynn. Paddy Woodgate (penalty), Liam Power and Nicholas Kennedy scored the Raheens goals.

In the IFC, 42-year-old Johnny Doyle continued his record of not missing a club championship game since making his debut in 1996 as Allenwood beat TMH by 1-15 to 0-7.