LEINSTER COLLEGES SH A LEAGUE: St Kieran's, Kilkenny1-13 St Peter's, Wexford 0-8:EIGHT POINTS from Michael Donnelly inspired St Kieran's to a comfortable victory over St Peter's College in this opening round Leinster College's A senior hurling championship at Power Park, Wexford, yesterday afternoon.

The reigning All-Ireland champions looked the more composed side through the opening 30 minutes, with Paddy Butler and Hugh O’Neill controlling in midfield.

By the eighth minute the reigning All-Ireland champions had moved into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead through points from Michael Brennan and two from Donnelly, while it was a Rhys Clarke ninth-minute pointed free that provided St Peter’s with their solitary first-half score. With Donnelly continuing to pick off some excellent scores it was St Kieran’s who led 0-9 to 0-1 at the interval.

St Peter’s opened the second half with points from Jason O’Dowd and Colm Kinsella inside three minutes, but any hope they had of a recovery vanished when Aidan Cleere shot a 40th-minute goal for the visitors leaving them leading 1-11 to 0-5.

As underfoot conditions deteriorated scores were at a premium but despite two fine long-range points from Colm Kinsella the home side were unable to mount a revival.

ST KIERAN'S:S Johnstone; L Hickey, C O'Neill, R O'Hanrahan; N Walsh, G Allen, E Morrissey; P Butler (0-1), H O'Neill; M Donnelly (0-8, 0-5 frees, 0-1 65), A Cleere (1-0), T O'Hanrahan; J Nolan (0-1), M Brennan (0-2), R Reid (0-1). Subs: D McQuillan for Nolan, S O'Dwyer for Butler, D Burke for T O'Hanrahan.

ST PETER'S:A Leacy; S Doyle, S Murphy, S Carroll; E O'Byrne, C Kinsella (0-3, one 65), B Hughes; R Clarke (0-1, free), C Tobin; L Rochford, A Kenny (0-2, frees), B Kelly; J Cambell, J O'Dowd (0-1), P Roche. Subs: K Whelan (0-1) for Kelly, P O'Connor for Roche, J Dooley for Cambell.

Referee:R McDonald (Wexford).