NEITHER Killarney side had too much of an appetite for this local derby so early in the season, but they had to clash swords at Celtic Park on Friday evening in the opening game in Premier A. Both sides had only a shadow of the sides that lined out in the Greyhound Bar Cup Final on duty so it was an opportunity for some young players to show their prowess and please their management team.

Cetic started without, Michael Gustifar, Brian Spillane, David Hayes, John Doyle, John McDonagh and Vladimer Sirotiak while Athletic had only two of the team that played in the Greyhound Bar Cup final in goalie Brian O'Connor and striker Rory O'Sullivan.

On these type of statistics Celtic were holding all the trump cards, but as tradition has so often shown that no one takes anything for granted in a Killarney Derby. Celtic welcomed home the prodigal son Peter McCarthy after spells with Limerick City, Lisselton Rovers and Tralee Dynamos and he showed that he is still one of the best strikers in the county.

Celtic came off the blocks with all guns blazing and lambasted the Athletic goals in the opening minutes of the game.

It took the woodwork to deny them in the second minute of the game with a good clearance Alan Nagle reaching Chris Brady and he slipped it in to Gary Keane and his first time effort left the Athletic helpless, but it cannoned off the right hand post and was cleared to safety.

Minutes later the Athletic custodian was called into action when he left his goal line to make a great blocked, which deny Robert Watson. After weathering the early onslaught Athletic began to ease the pressure on their defence and get a few attacks together.

They had their first effort on goal in the seventh minute, but Alex Polac's shot was wide of the target. Shortly afterwards they were awarded a free which was quickly taken by Brian O'Reilly to Denis Galvin, but his powerful shot flashed past the wrong side of the posts.

Galvin was in the thick of things a few minutes later, but his effort was superbly blocked by Celtic custodian Shane Murphy.

However, their luck ran out in the 11th minute when Pa Mc Grath took possession in the centre of the park and put Stephen Hayes free he delivered into the danger zone where Peter McCarthy was lurking and he had an easy task slotting home from six yards.

However, Athletic did not waver after this set back and a quick free by Brian O'Reilly to Alex Palac caught Celtic by surprise, but his effort went wide. Then Celtic put a glorious passage of football together with Chris Brady linking up with Robert Watson who centred the ball into the box where Geratus killed the ball splendidly with his chest and off loaded to Stephen Hayes cutting in from the left.

He sized up his options and his curling right footed shot seemed to be heading for the right hand corner of the net, but it met the post on its journey and Athletic had another big let off.

Then Athletic created an opening with Aidan Moynihan and David Gleeson combining with the latter drilling the ball low across that small box with Denis Galvin in full flight and he was only a whisker away from making contact.

Attempts by Peter Mc Carthy and Robert Watson failed to increase Celtic lead and at the score 1-0 at half-time Athletic were not out of the race by any stretch of the imagination. Given their supremacy of possession Celtic had not too much to show for it and they could have been out of sight of they had taken all their chances.

Celtic almost pressed the self destruction at the start of the second half when they held a high line to get attackers off side but it all went horribly wrong when a great ball by David Gleeson found Rory O'Sullivan behind the Celtic defence and put Lucas Polac in but he shot wide.

While two strikes on goal by Stephen Hayes yielded nothing they had the jackpot again in the 58th minute with Robert Watson again the provider to Peter McCarthy just putside the box.

He sold a dummy to the advancing Athletic keeper Brian O'Connor and had the simple task of rolling the ball into the unguarded net.

A minute later the game was done and dusted for Celtic with a great one two between Stephen Hayes and Peter McCarhy made room for Anthony O Leary down the wing and coming in at a tight angle he squeezed the ball home.

Five minutes from the end Celtic found the net again when a Chris Brady corner fell invitingly for sub Tadg Moore and he drilled the ball home from close range.

Neither side will learn much from this game as they had very much understrength teams on duty.

KILLARNEY CELTIC: Shane Murphy, Chris Brady, Anthony O Leary, Gary Keane, Alan Nagle, Robert Watson, Pa Mc Grath, Podge O'Connor, Stephen Hayes, Geratus Poketuruas and Peter McCarthy Subs: Tadg Moore for Stephen Hayes, Derek Toomey for Geratus Poketuruas and Chris Davies for Robert Watson.

KILLARNEY ATHLETIC: Jerry Moynihan, Timmy O Sullivan, Conor Farrell, Brian O Reilly, Aidan Moynihan, Denis Gleeson, Martin Crowley, Lucas Polac, Rory O Sullivan and Denis Galvin Subs: Mike Miller for Rory O Sullivan and Shane Bunyan for Aidan Moynihan

REFEREE: Kevin O'Regan

Prior to the start of the game a minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect to the four young people that dies in a horrific accident in Killarney at the weekend.

- Mike Rice at Celtic Park, Killarney PICTURES: CR VIDEOS