Title challengers face-off in early crunch weekend

Salthill Devon were not in Premier League action on the first weekend of the season, but will be looking to hit the ground running when they travel to Headford this evening for an 8pm kick-off against Moyne Villa.

Devon are chasing a fifth title in succession, but a number of clubs will be looking to knock them off their pedestal and Moyne Villa certainly have the ability to pose a challenge to all comers.

Mervue United welcome Colga to Fahy’s Field on Saturday (4.30pm) in a meeting of two sides that made a winning start to their campaign last weekend. Another winning side, Maree-Oranmore will make the short journey out the road to face an Athenry side beaten by Colga last weekend (2.30pm); while on Sunday, the two promoted teams meet in Annaghdown as Corrib Celtic host Craughwell United (11am).

PREMIER LEAGUE

Mervue United eased past newly promoted Corrib Celtic 5-1 on the opening weekend of action. The city side were 3-1 up at the break as Dara McGrath, Kacper Zatonski, Adam Healy, Jason Molloy, and Milo O’Malley all found the range for a side who finished second in the table last season. Adam Kenny got the lone reply for the home side.

Maree-Oranmore did all the damage in the second-half when goals by Colm Whelan and Gavin Smyth gave them a 2-0 away win over Renmore; while a Tom Daly hat-trick helped Colga to a 4-2 win away to Athenry.

Jorge Lopes got the visitors’ fourth, while Adam Molloy and Ciaran Browne responded for the home side.

One up at the break courtesy of a Kyle Greaney goal, Moyne Villa added three more after the break as they saw off top-flight newcomers Craughwell United 4-0. JJ Oifoh is one of the upcoming stars of Villa and he scored twice on the resumption, with Adam Nugent getting the fourth.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Galway Hibernians were relegated for the first time in their history at the end of last season and last weekend they started off a new life in the Championship with a 3-1 success over Salthill Devon B in Drom.

For Salthill Devon B it was a new beginning also as they were promoted from Division One last season and for a share of the game more than matched their more highly-rated opponents. However, it was Hibs who laid down the early marker as two goals in the opening quarter laid the foundations for their success.

They took the lead on six minutes when new signing Jamie Cawley set up another newcomer Eoin Fahy on the edge of the box and he duly fired the opener past Johnny Burke. There was a role reversal for the second on 25 minutes when Fahy crossed from the left and Cawley applied the close-range finish for 2-0.

Derek O’Flaherty, Piotr Szymanski, and Dermot Forde all offered a threat for the home side, with a crucial interception by Evan Lawless ending a Devon attack at the expense of a corner, just before the break.

The resumption saw Hibs really put the game to bed when they added a third on 49 minutes. A free-kick by Jason McDonagh was delivered behind the Devon defence and the inrushing Evan Browne got a toe to it to divert it past Burke and put some daylight between the teams.

Pictured: The Renmore side beaten by Maree/Oranmore in the Premier Division on the opening weekend of the new season. Back row, from left: Dylan Rees, Kealan Eyres, Conor Fahy, Josh Bulmard, Leon Daly, and Henry Papin. Front: Charlie Filapr, Shane Campbell, Aaron Moran, Keith Fitzgerald, and Jack Greaney. Photo: Iain McDonald.