BY JOHN FALLON
THE 2026 Lidl National Football League got under way on Sunday with four games in Division 4 of the competition.
Derry only won one league match last season but they have matched that already when they repeated their 2025 win over Kilkenny, winning by 4-12 to 0-3 in Owenbeg.
A goal from Aine McAlister helped Derry lead by 1-7 to 0-0 at the break and further goals came after the restart from Kate Hargan, Clodagh Moore and Jeanette Slevin (pictured).
Carlow, relegated last year after winning the Division 4 title two seasons ago, got their campaign off to a winning start when they edged out Sligo by 1-7 to 1-4 at SETU Carlow.
Carlow laid the foundation for victory in the opening half and a goal from Cliodhna Ní Shé helped them lead by 1-3 to 0-2 at the break.
Sligo rallied in the closing stages and a goal from Lauren Normanly cut the gap to three but Carlow held on to make a winning start to their campaign.
Second half goals from Marie Byrne and Róisín Ennis drove Offaly to a 2-10 to 0-8 win over Wicklow at Bray Emmets.
Wicklow led by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break but the goals proved crucial as Offaly, also relegated last year, got their season up and running with a double scores victory.
Six players found the net as Leitrim, one of the promotion favourites, ousted neighbours Longford by 6-17 to 2-10 at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Leitrim, with goals from Vivienne Egan, Leah Fox and Kate Gormley, led by 3-5 to 1-6 at the interval and they pushed on from there with Muireann Devaney, Aoife Gilmartin and Emma Guckian also finding the net.
Katie Crawford got the Longford goals in either half.
Results:Carlow 1-7 Sligo 1-4Offaly 2-10 Wicklow 0-8Leitrim 6-17 Longford 2-10Derry 4-12 Kilkenny 0-3
