Champions Ramor United were pushed all the way by Cuchulainns in the opening round of their senior championship title defence last night at O'Raghallaigh Park.

In the end, Adrian Cole's 1-3 contribution proved salient for the winners as they came away from Kingscourt with a narrow 1-13 to 1-12 victory over the men from Mullagh whom were left to rue a high tally of missed chances.

Cole's goal right on the stroke of half-time helped the holders to lead by four points (1-6 to 0-5) at the break but Cuchulainns would hit the net themselves six minutes into the restart through a Gary Daly penalty, wiping out early second-half points from Cole and Jack Brady.

Evan Doughty and Seamus Clarke landed the underdogs' next two points, outweighing a free from Conor Bradley, and although James Brady and Kevin Mulvaney would stretch the town side's lead their opponents made them sweat in the final quarter.

Eugene Keating, Conor Smith and Doughty (2) all fired points to bring the difference down to two with seven minutes in regulation left and two more from Keating would erase Stephen Monaghan's single, leaving a point in it heading for injury-time.

Keating had the chance to level it in those closing minutes but the former Cavan full-forward pulled it wide and Ramor held out for an opening round victory.

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At Kingspan Breffni, Cavan Gaels were a bit more comfortable in their 1-14 to 2-7 win over Lacken, with four unanswered points in the run up to half-time proving the difference for them.

Killian Galligan's 11th minute goal looked to have Lacken in good shape, leading by 1-2 to 0-3 at that stage, but the Gaels had the ball in the net down the far end two minutes later through Paul O'Connor and at 1-4 apiece the Cavan town side shot scores from Dara Sexton (2) and Martin Dunne (free) to lead by three at the break.

Dunne's fourth free of the night arrived two minutes into the restart and although Niall McKiernan and Daragh Buckley pulled two back for the trailers, Jason O'Reilly's charges would respond with three more on the trot to leave their counterparts with an uphill battle for the closing quarter.

McKiernan's 46th minute goal gave the men in sky blue every chance but Dunne (free) and Seanie Johnston (2) soon had that strike nullified, as the Gaels held out to avenge last year's defeat over the men from Crowe Park.

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