Evergreen edge city derby as Castlewarren move to new home

The all-city affair of Evergreen and Freebooters was the stand out game on the local front in Kilkenny.

The much anticipated meeting between the teams that finished first and second in last year’s Premier Division really kickstarted the top tier fare for the season as the two sides collided on the Kells Road.

The teams had one win apiece in the league prior to Sunday morning’s affair and as expected, there wasn’t much between the two neighbours on a perfect day for football.

An opening half Leon Hayes goal had given the ’Booters a 1-0 interval lead but Evergreen came roaring back into the game.

The hosts drew level when Declan McQuillan was fouled in the box. A penalty was awarded which was coolly finished to the net by Mikey Drennan.

Drennan wasn’t done there and in a move involving McQuillan and Andrew Wall, the ball arrived into the box where the former Shamrock Rovers star slotted the ball home off his trusted left boot.

It may be early in the season but it’s still a crucial blow struck by an Evergreen team who have dominated the league scene in recent years.

Elsewhere in the Premier Division Deen Celtic also had a 2-1 victory when getting one over Highview Athletic at the Prince Grounds in Castlecomer.

Celtic sit alongside Evergreen and Bridge United who all have two wins out of two thus far.

There was also two ties in the Junior KCLR Scoreline.ie Division One League as Lions and Ormonde Villa claimed notable victories.

Both wins, scored over River Rangers and Tullaroan respectively, were Villa’s and Lions’ first wins of a league that has Evergreen B leading the way.

A game in the Junior Division Two Emerald Tiles League also drew notable headlines as Castlewarren Celtic became the latest in a line of clubs to use the former home of Kilkenny City as they entertained Lions B in Buckley Park.

It was a winning start at their new home venue as they ran out 3-2 winners in a five goal extravaganza with the Durrow men.
Goals galore

There were five other games in the division and the goals galore feel remained intact with 28 in total in the remaining fixtures.

Stoneyford United and East End United both had 5-0 wins at home while there was success on the road for River Rangers B and a Freebooters B side that found the net on seven occasions at the expense of Evergreen 46.

The one game that finished without a winner was in Garringreen as St John’s and Thomastown United B shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

On the cup front there was also game as Callan United put away their league despair when they defeated Greystones United on a 2-0 scoreline on the Fair Green in the FAI Junior Cup.

Callan will be back in the competition this weekend when meeting Forth Celtic.

They won’t be on their own when it comes to Kilkenny representation, however, as there are five more teams involved.

Evergreen, Freebooters, Bridge United and Highview Athletic are all on the road with Ormonde Villa playing host to Gorey Rangers at Garringreen.