Champions Cork put down a quick marker

Champions Cork began the defence of their Bord Gáis Energy Ladies National Football League Division 1 crown with a comfortable 11-point victory against an outclassed Donegal side yesterday.

Nollaig Cleary scored two goals for the Leesiders in Ballyshannon as Eamonn Ryan’s charges who led by 2-4 to 0-3 at half-time, made the long trip north a winning one by scoring a 4-9 to 1-7 victory.

Cleary, who scored 2-1, netted in both halves while Ciara O’Sullivan and Grace Kearney also raised green flags for the All-Ireland champions.

The Munster girls are targeting a fifth successive Bord Gáis Energy NFL Division 1 crown this year.

Geraldine McLaughlin offered some resistance for Donegal with a haul of 1-4 but Cork had too much craft and experience for the hosts.

Elsewhere in Division 1, ace forward Sinead Ahern was among the goals as Dublin announced their return to the top flight with a bang.

The Sky Blues hammered Kildare by 5-18 to 0-6 at Ballykelly, with Sinead Goldrick pulling the strings at midfield.

Monaghan and Meath also scored victories in Division 1.

In Division 2, the big Connacht derby went Mayo’s way as Fr. Michael Murphy’s charges had far too much power, defeating Galway by 3-14 to 1-7 in Tuam.

Star forward Cora Staunton scored 2-9 for Mayo in the battle between the two sides relegated from Division 1 last year.

Mayo announced themselves as promotion favourites with a resounding 13-point victory against an inexperienced Galway outfit, with Martha Carter grabbing Mayo’s other goal.

At half-time, Mayo had led by 1-8 to 0-6, with Staunton accounting for all but two points of her side’s first half total.

Gillian Joyce grabbed a consolation goal for Galway in the second-half while Marie Brennan, despite being handed the onerous task of marking Staunton, also battled hard.

Joyce’s goal arrived ten minutes from time but the game was very much beyond question at that stage as Mayo had led by 3-11 to 0-7 before Joyce struck.

Meanwhile, last year’s Division 4 winners Westmeath, reigning All-Ireland intermediate champions, made a winning start in Division 3 with a comprehensive 4-13 to 0-3 victory in Roscommon.

And in Division 4, there were opening day victories for Limerick and Longford.