Sunday's Well became the early leaders of the Division Two table and made the first statement of their promotional ambitions with a 18-0 victory over Malone at Musgrave Park on Saturday.
With the return of former international flanker Ken O'Connell, this Well outfit is set to become the leading Cork club in the division and it only took them three minutes to gain the first advantage. Peter Scannell demonstrated his superb pace on the wing to run in the opening try. Two penalties from Richard Daly extended that lead to 11 points by the half-way stage.
After continued pressure, Well eventually pulled off a second try from player-coach Declan Coppinger 10 minutes from time and with Daly's conversion, they completed a hugely satisfying start to this season's campaign.
True to their Munster senior league form, Old Crescent also got off to a winning start at Rosbrien even though they had to come from behind to defeat Portadown 20-15.
Crescent were slow to find their feet and at the interval trailed by the three penalty kicks of Portadown's out-half Ben Matthew. Two tries from winger Craig Doyle in the second half brought Crescent back into the game although two more penalties from Matthew kept the northern side slightly in front. A late penalty from Brian Begley and an even later drop goal from out-half Billy Treacy eventually gave the points to Crescent.
Wanderers paid the price for some poor place-kicking as UCD snatched a late 10-11 victory at Lansdowne Road. It was Pat Wallace's second successful penalty on 78 minutes that proved decisive.
Scrum-half Mark Mahon had given Wanderers a 10-3 lead at the interval. UCD responded in the second half and reduced the deficit to just two points when Aidan Kearney went over in the corner on 65 minutes. Kearney and Wanderers wing forward Bobby Baggot were both sin-binned for violent behavior towards the end. City of Derry also secured a narrow victory at Dr Hickey Park when they turned a 26 point deficit against Greystones into an eventual 39-36 victory. Australian substitute Ashley Bond completed the Derry revival when he crashed over for a try two minutes from time.
Yesterday, Dolphin also started their campaign with victory with a 16-13 win over Bective Rangers at Musgrave Park.
