The Senior Football season kicked off in earnest last Friday night where the visitors to St Malachy’s Park were Loughinisland. The first game of the season is a tricky affair for all teams. Mistakes in handling, turnovers, misplaced passes, poor passing. The game had all that from both teams who went at it hammer and tong. The conditions did not help. With the extension of winter into spring all pitches are flat, soggy and lacking growth. It was a question of who could impose their game and master the unseasonal conditions. The Town raced into a lead they never lost. With Dan Gordon still missing from the visitor’s line-up they lacked the cutting edge they required if they were to make any inroads into the Town’s defence. The first half belonged to Castlewellan who made the most of their dominant period. When the visitors did manage a foothold in the game they could not convert this into scores. In the second half Loughinisland found their game but fortunately the lads were able to match their scores. Two golden goal opportunities were spurned late on for the Town with Loughinisland finding the net in injury time. Next up for the Town is away to County Champions Kilcoo. This is a tough local derby fixture. The boys know their performance will have to be much better this Friday Night against the Magpies in their backyard.