Comfortable win for champions

Mark McCabe grabbed a hat-trick of goals as defending Keegan Cup champions Simonstown Gaels returned to action on a winning note with a 3-15 to 2-6  win against Seneschalstown.

The ploy was simple early on for Seneschalstown - Brian Sheridan won the ball around the middle and sent it in high to Joe Sheridan in the full-forward berth, but that was abandoned after about four minutes as the Sheridans swapped positions. 

Simonstown had early points on the board from Andrew Kearney and a superbly struck Ben Hoey free from about 45 metres while Seneschalstown registered a Cathal Finnegan effort from play along with three poor wides from good positions.

Simonstown also saw a good goal chance wasted when Mark Gardiner surged through and was denied by an alert David Gordon.

Both teams created chances, but only Simonstown managed to hit the target with Kearney, Hoey (free) and Joe Lyons extending Simonstown's lead to 0-5 to 0-1 by the end of the opening quarter.

Seneschalstown got back into contention when Brian Sheridan finished to the net in the 18th minute, but respite was brief as Conor Sheridan countered instantly with a pointed Simonstown free and then Mark McCabe got a touch around the square to a high ball from Kearney - Gordon had no chance.

Seneschalstown continued to threaten and should have had a goal when Robbie Wogan ghosted through and then added to the wide tally with a woeful piece of finishing - it took the wide tally to nine.

Finnegan managed a point for Seneschalstown that was sandwiched by similar efforts for Simonstown by the impressive Brian Conlon and Kearney that gave the defending champions a 1-8 to 1-3 interval advantage.

Only 12 seconds had elapsed after the resumption when Conor Sheridan's point extended Simonstown's lead and that was followed by McCabe's second goal from the penalty spot, He added a third soon after with an opportunist peice of finishing.

Seneschalstown also got in on the goal-fest when Finnegan finished well from Brian Sheridan's pass as the Gaels rearguard went into sleep mode.

The remainder was quite irrelevant as the teams went throuth the motions in anticipation of the final whistle.

SEE VIDEO CLIP OF PENALTY GOAL