SLAUGHTNEIL were facile winners (3-22 to 1-10) as they opened their Derry Senior Hurling Championship campaign against Ballinascreen on Sunday at Emmet Park.
The Emmet’s are going for a 12th successive Derry title and led 1-10 to 1-5 at half-time, with Shea Cassidy finding the net and Reece McSorley bagging the visitors’ goal.
Goals from Jack Cassidy and Peter McCullagh pushed the champions further into the driving seat, with Cormac O’Doherty, Brendan Rogers and Mark McGuigan also on target.
Banagher were made to battle all the way into the fifth minute of stoppage in their 2-14 to 0-16 home win over Lavey.
Fintan Bradley hit the first two scores of the game but Ciaran Lynch’s first goal put Brian McGilligan’s side into a lead they never lost.
Banagher had the breeze and were 1-7 to 0-3 ahead by half-time, with key player Callum O’Kane hitting a point seconds after the restart.
Cormac Collins, Ryan McGill and Ryan Mulholland notched scores for Lavey, who were back in the game before a second Lynch goal put Banagher 2-11 to 0-8 ahead.
Lavey threw everything at the game but Banagher’s defence and ‘keeper Conor Campbell stood tall to ensure victory.
Kevin Lynch’s had Niall Ferris to thank for securing a share of the spoils in a 1-12 to 0-15 draw with Swatragh on Saturday night in Owenbeg.
The sides were level 0-7 each at half-time with James Friel and Darragh McGilligan on target for their respective sides.
Sean Martin Quinn and Paul Gunning did have the Davitts ahead before McGilligan and Richie Mullan levelled matters.
The only goal of the game, from Odhran McElhinney, helped Kevin Lynch’s into an early second-half four-point lead.
Tiarnan Walsh and Fintan McGurk were on target as Swatragh got themselves back into the lead.
It was level late on before Friel looked to have won the game, only for a third Ferris point ensuring the sides had to settle for a draw.
Eoghan Rua, Coleraine were 1-13 to 1-11 winners over Na Magha in the second game to Saturday’s double-header.
Ruairi Mooney and Thomas Magee hit a combined 0-9 for the winners, with Deaglan Foley hitting eight points for Na Magha.
Na Magha trailed by four points in the first half before levelling matters at 0-8 each before the Coleraine side hit the net through Dara Mooney.
Foley pegged a point back for the city men before Tim Ranking bundled home their goal for a 1-9 to 1-8 interval lead.
The game was nip and tuck in the closing stages before a Ruairi Mooney point helped Eoghan Rua to victory.
