GAA round-up: A makeshift Dublin side advanced to the second round of the O'Byrne Cup after overcoming Offaly 0-15 to 1-7 in Tullamore this afternoon.
Despite being very much below full strength - some 43 players are involved in Pat Gilroy's preseason training camp in southern Spain - the defending champions still had too much quality for the home side.
Kildare started the season on the front foot after a 1-12 to 0-9 win over All-Ireland semi-finalists Wexford. Five unanswered points before the finish - with two apiece from Mark O'Sullivan and James Kavanagh - sealed the victory for Kieren McGeeney's experimental side.
In Munster, Cork manager Conor Counihan also fielded an unfamiliar line-up but they were still too strong for Cork IT, the Rebels winning 1-15 to 2-8. UL defeated Limerick 1-9 to 1-7 in this afternoon's other McGrath Cup tie.
The Dr McKenna Cup in Ulster saw the spoils shared between Derry and Fermanagh while Armagh and Down progress at the expense of Antrim and St Mary's.
Full Results
O'Byrne Cup
Longford 2-12 Athlone IT 1-7
Louth 2-14 UCD 1-2
Offaly 1-7 Dublin 0-15
Wicklow 2-10 Carlow 1-8
Kildare 1-12 Wexford 0-9
Meath 1-17 Westmeath 0-7
Laois 0-13 DCU 1-14
Kilkenny 2-6 DIT 0-18
Dr McKenna Cup
Section A
Fermanagh 0-10 Derry 1-7
UUJ 0-13 Donegal 3-14
Section B
St. Mary's 0-10 Down 3-16
Section C
Armagh 0-12 Antrim 0-10
McGrath Cup Preliminary Round
Limerick 1-7 UL 1-9
Cork 1-15 Cork IT 2-8
Waterford Crystal Cup Preliminary Round
Kerry 1-7 Waterford IT 2-22
Clare 2-18 Tralee IT 2-13
Waterford 1-17 UCC 2-13
Limerick 0-16 UL 2-14
Connacht FBD League
Group A
Roscommon 3-13 Sligo IT 0-5
NUIG 2-10 Mayo 1-8
Group B
Sligo 0-12 Galway 0-14
GMIT 1-9 Leitrim 0-11