Tyrone, Monaghan, Roscommon and Armagh all won as the battle to become the 2015 Nicky Rackard Hurling champions commenced this afternoon.
Tyrone staged a strong second-half display to deliver a 1-12 to 0-11 win over Donegal at O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny.
Tyrone and Donegal faced off for the third time in four weeks and, after two keenly contested encounters, which saw Donegal maintain Division 2B status after a replay and extra-time, this time it was the Red Hands who got on top.
Donegal were quickest out of the blocks as a brace of Lee Henderson frees helped them to an early 0-03 to 0-01 advantage, but Tyrone responded well, to push four points clear inside six minutes.
Visiting captain Damien Casey was sublime from placed balls, while he also netted a 14th-minute goal after a pass from Justin Kelly to push his side ahead.
Conor Grogan ensured a 1-04 to 0-03 lead at the end of the opening quarter, although Henderson, Sean McVeigh, Ciaran Matthewson and Joe Boyle worked hard to keep Donegal in touch.
A second Matthewson point brought the sides level at 0-08 to 1-05, but a fourth Casey score pushed Tyrone ahead at the interval.
Tyrone looked hungrier on the restart and went five points clear, but Donegal never gave up, with Lee Henderson working hard.
However, Tyrone fired strongly late on, with Casey impressive on the way to a four-point win.
An early Stephen Lambe penalty goal set Monaghan up nicely, as they claimed a 4-10 to 0-10 win over beaten Division 3B League finalists Longford in Clones.
Trevor Hillard’s side withstood the 26th-minute dismissal of corner forward Fergal Rafter as they got their campaign off to a winning start.
Lambe’s goal kept Monaghan on top early on but, despite Longford losing free-taker Eoin Donnellan through a 10th minute injury, the visitors cut the gap to a point thanks to the efforts of Joe O’Brien (0-07) on a 1-04 to 0-06 score-line.
Pauric Dowdall (3-01) was Monaghan’s hat-trick hero, with his first goal helping the hosts to a 2-06 to 0-06 interval lead.
Dowdall failed to ease up on the restart, and added two further goals on the way to a 12-point win.
Jerry Fallon marked his 29th birthday in impressive fashion, top-scoring with 1-06, as Roscommon claimed a 3-12 to 0-09 win over Fingal at Lawless Park, Swords.
The former All-Ireland Poc Fada champion bagged the Rossies' second goal, in a game which they led throughout.
Fallon claimed five first-half points, with Ronan O’Meara scoring their opening goal in the 28th minute, as Roscommon led 1-08 to 0-04 at half-time.
John Michael Sheridan, Niall Ring, Cillian O’Flynn and Danny Butterly registered a point each for the hosts, but they struggled after the dismissal of Paul Graves.
Fingal worked hard on the restart, but Fallon’s 49th-minute goal opened up an 11-point gap, with Cathal Kenny completing their hat-trick six minutes from the end.
Armagh claimed a 2-16 to 2-11 home win over Louth at the Athletic Grounds.
A brace of first-half goals provided the platform for victory in a tight encounter.
Armagh led by 2-06 to 1-08 at half-time, with all three goals coming in the opening minutes.
Louth full-forward Sean Connolly netted an early goal as his side took a 1-01 to 0-00 lead, before Eoin McGuinness and Ryan Gaffney responded with goals for Armagh.
Liam Dwan impressed for Louth in the opening half, with Nathan Curry, Cailin Gorman and Stephen Reneghan among Armagh’s first-half point scorers.
With just a point separating the sides at the break, a tight second half was expected, but Armagh kicked on, with Gaffney impressive, despite midfielder Roger Maher netting Louth’s second goal.
