Usual suspects on the board – SFC Round 1 in brief

A low key opening weekend in the Waterford SFC as conditions kept the scores and the crowds down. The one sided results was a prominent feature as the gulf in class between top and bottom was exposed. The average winning margin in round 1 came to nine points with three teams claiming double digit victories.

Reigning champions Stradbally got up to speed as they strolled to a seventeen point success on Saturday night. Through the dense fog at Walsh Park, the Reds raced into a 1-7 to 0-1 lead at the break with Shane Ahearne finding the back of the net after 10 minutes. Stradbally kept their foot to the floor on the resumption and Ger Power raised their second green flag as they romped home by 2-16 to 1-2. Gary Molloy scored the goal of the game in the final minute but it served as mere consolation for Gaultier.

In wretched weather at Fraher Field, Clashmore edged out local rivals Ardmore by 0-7 to 1-3. Alan North’s scrappy goal on 14 minutes gave Ardmore a 1-1 to 0-2 interval advantage but they lost Seamus Prendergast to a second yellow card mid way through the second period. Their near neighbours capitalised as Sean Fleming scored three points from play and John Prendergast nailed three frees to nudge Clashmore over the line. Fleming’s persistence and dogged determination up front was the catalyst for them here.

Ballinacourty opened their campaign with a 1-9 to 0-9 win over An Rinn on Friday night. They led by 0-6 to 0-3 at half time and within 30 seconds of the restart, Patrick Hurney netted the decisive goal. Michael O’Halloran’s sublime diagonal ball picked out Hurney and he finished emphatically to the far corner. Donie Breathnach’s class shone in defeat as he landed five points but An Rinn’s late rally came up short.

Kilrossanty chalked up a 1-13 to 0-2 win against a depleted St Saviours on Sunday afternoon with Michael Walsh grabbing the crucial goal for John Kiely’s charges. Playing into the breeze during the first half at Walsh Park, they were 1-5 to 0-1 ahead and despite a spirited Saviours’ effort, they never looked in danger. Last year’s runners-up The Nire rounded off the weekend action with ten points to spare over Brickey Rangers. They had first use of a gale force wind but struggled to press home their advantage early on against a durable defence. Two goals within the space of a minute late in the first half from Liam Lawlor and Brian Wall saw them move them 2-5 to 0-1 clear by the break. In a slow paced second half, Shane Walsh popped over three points to make it 2-10 to 0-6 at full time. The game between Rathgormack and Ballinameela was called off due to fog and an unplayable surface at the Stradbally venue.