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KILLARNEY CELTIC got their season off to an unbelievable start with a resounding 7-0 victory over Dingle Day Rovers on Sunday. Dingle, who won the title as recently as 2016, were expected to be very strong again this year but they were no match for Celtic on this particular occasion as the Killarney side notched seven goals without reply.

Attacking midfielder Matt Keane bagged a hat trick and Wayne Sparling, Brendan Falvey, Jamie Spillane and Stephen McCarthy also found the target in a remarkable rout that sent shockwaves throughout the league.

Killarney Athletic, meanwhile, made a far less spectacular start to the campaign on Friday night. We had to make do with a draw in our opening fixture as a last-minute wonder strike salvaged a point for ten-man Listowel under lights in Tralee.

We went behind early on but goals from Shane Lynch and Michael O’Donoghue had us 2-1 up with time running out. Unfortunately we were just unable to hang on for the three points and we certainly have a lot of work to do ahead of our next game.

Elsewhere Tralee Dynamos, who were supposedly struggling to put a team together for the new season, demolished Inter Kenmare 9-0 at home on Sunday afternoon. Shane Lowth scored five times in a comprehensive victory and speculation regarding Dynamos’ demise seems to have been a bit premature to say the least.

Newly promoted Mastergeeha were unable to pick up anything from their opening round tie as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Castleisland, Sean Óg O Ciardubháin with the only goal in a keenly contested affair.

Down in Division 1B Ballyhar Dynamos didn’t get off to the best of starts as they lost 3-0 to Strand Road in Tralee, while East Kerry rivals QPR and CG Killarney (Cedar Galaxy) played out an exciting 3-3 draw in their first game of the 2017/18 season. Mark Reen (two) and Ciarán O’Mahony were on the scoresheet for Quarry Park but a Hubert Dziedzic hat-trick was enough to earn Cedar a share of the spoils.

There are only two top-flight games scheduled for this weekend as Fenit Samphires play Tralee Dynamos in Mounthawk Park on Friday night and Killarney Celtic host Castleisland on Sunday at 11.30am.

In the Premier B, Celtic’s B team are at home to Castleisland B, while in Division 1B the Killarney Athletic Bs get their season up and running with an away fixture against Park. Both games are at 2pm.

In Division 1A, Ballyhar and CG Killarney will both be hoping to secure their first wins of the season when they face off on Sunday morning. Kick-off in Ballyhar is at 11.30am.
 

 
Celtic's Matt Keane.