Cleere a cut above

Kilkenny champions Graigue/ Ballycallan started their first ever Leinster club campaign with a comprehensive win over Kildare…

Kilkenny champions Graigue/ Ballycallan started their first ever Leinster club campaign with a comprehensive win over Kildare's Coill Dubh at Athy yesterday. Their opponents, who beat Wolfe Tones of Longford in the first round, never threatened to cause an upset. Kilkenny inter-county star Adrian Ronan hit two early points for the winners who led by three before Coill Dubh opened their account. Coill Dubh were never allowed to get to grips with their opponents and trailed 0-12 to 0-5 at half-time. Denis Byrne got the first goal of the game soon after the re-start while Damien Cleere goaled from two penalty opportunities before the end of the contest.

Graigue/Ballycallan: J Ronan; J Butler, P Dwyer, P Hoyne; T McCluskey, T Comerford, A Hoyne; James Young (0-2), E Dwyer; M Hoyne (1-4), J Hoyne (0-2), D Cleere (2-7); A Ronan (0- 3), Joe Young, D Byrne. Sub: T Dermody for James Young.

Coill Dubh: D Byrne; A Cross, J O'Donnell, N Carew; G Byrne, C Byrne, M Casey; J Byrne, N Casey; A McAndrew (0-2), T Carew (0-6), C Carew; N Callaghan (0-1), D Anderson, R Byrne (0-2).

Referee: P Delaney (Laois).