LEINSTER COLLEGES SH A LEAGUE: Castlecomer CS1-17 Dublin South 2-10: CASTLECOMER Community School got their Leinster Colleges Senior A Hurling League campaign off to a winning start on home ground yesterday, but had to survive a strong rally from a resurgent Dublin South Colleges.

The Kilkenny school were in full flow in the first half at Castlecomer yesterday, and opened up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead by the 21st minute.

Dublin didn’t get their first score from play, a Karl Russell point, until the 22nd minute but things didn’t get any better. A goalmouth scramble was finished by Stephen Daly and Castlecomer were 1-11 to 0-6 up at half-time.

Dublin opened the second half in style, Naoise Green ending a blistering solo with a fine shot to the bottom left corner of the Castlecomer net. However, the Kilkenny side were quickly back on track, as two points from Charles Dwyer and one each from Andrew Carron and Daly put the hosts nine clear with 20 minutes to play.

Dublin could have thrown in the towel, but refused to yield. Led by Green and Tom Devlin they clawed their way back into the game, before Niko Salvino slammed a loose ball to the net in the 52nd minute.

That left four points in the game, but ’Comer steadied the ship thanks to the hard running from backs Kevin Delaney and Brian Cahill, while a late Charles Dwyer point calmed their nerves.

CASTLECOMER CS:P Delaney, K Delaney, D Moran, R Healy, R Kinsella, B Cahill, D Dunne, P Keating, E Carroll, R Moran, E Bergin (0-3), A Carron (0-3), S Daly (1-5, 0-1 free), C Dwyer (0-6, 0-1 free), S McDermott. Subs: L Maher, D Shortall.

DUBLIN SOUTH:P Macken; D Byrne, F O'Donoghue, J Barnes; D Butler, T Devlin (0-5, four frees, one 65), A Darby; C Davis (0-1), R McGowan; S Harrington (0-1), K McMahon, K Russell (0-1); N Green (1-2), C Kavanagh, A Termyn. Subs: E McLoughlin, N Salvino (1-0), G Whelan.

Referee:E Mansfield (Kilkenny).