Matthew Bell’s Queen’s University got their season off to a flying start, beating Kilkeel 9-1 in the opening game of the Men’s Premier League season.
A first-half hat-trick from new signing Harris Massey gave the side a 3-0 lead at the break before last season’s top scorer Ben Law added two more from penalty corners, picking out the bottom right on each occasion.
However, the student dominance wasn’t complete as Sam McMillan netted a further two of his own, either side of the final break, before Charlie McKeown marked his debut with a goal and Philip Campbell added a ninth.
A late Kilkeel goal proved to only be a consolation strike as Matthew Bell’s side became the division’s early pacesetters.
In Saturday’s action, Portadown produced a dramatic comeback to come from behind and beat Bangor.
Three goals from Dave McClune, Myles McNaught and Scott McGilton had given the hosts a comfortable 3-0 lead. However, in the second half, the game was turned on its head as Ryan Bennett netted four goals to seal the win for his side.
The first of his four strikes came on the brink of half-time as he converted a penalty stroke with 34 minutes on the clock. Then, in the second half, the Portadown man netted a hat-trick of penalty corners to seal the win for his side, with the winning goal coming just two minutes from the end of time.
At Deramore Park, Belfast Harlequins put in an impressive display to beat South Antrim 4-1.
Matthew Gray gave his side an early lead as he picked his sport with a drag flick after his side were awarded a penalty corner.
The lead was soon doubled as new recruit Ewan Hutchinson won the ball back on the halfway line before launching the counter attack which ended with Cameron Ruttle squaring for Aaron Murphy.
Before long it was 3-0 as Connor Trimble marked his debut with a goal, before quickly adding his second of the afternoon.
In the third quarter David Gallagher got a consolation strike for the visitors, scoring from a penalty corner of his own, but the strike had no impact on the end result as it finished 4-1 to the hosts.
The final game of the weekend saw newly promoted Mossley get their season off to a winning start as they won away to CI Annadale.
It was the visitors who took the lead in the second quarter when Neal Glassey got his first goal of the season with a straight strike from a penalty corner, but the side were soon pegged back by a Matthew Willis strike.
In the second half, Glassey was on the scoresheet once more alongside teammate Ross McIvor, whilst a David Tremlett effort came too late for the hosts to get anything from the game.
The final game of matchday one will take place on Wednesday, when North Down host Instonians in Comber.