Round 3 Qualifiers Round-Up

All Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 3:
Kerry 1-13 Monaghan 0-13

Kerry restated their three-in-a-row credentials with an impressive three-point win over Monaghan in a ferocious All-Ireland SFC round three qualifier clash at Croke Park on Sunday.

Kieran ‘Star’ Donaghy lived up to his billing to fire 1-2 in a performance that was capped by a brilliant match-winning goal.

Donaghy delivered the killer blow to Monaghan’s All-Ireland dreams on 58 minutes, when he rifled the ball past Padraig McBennett after Eoin Brosnan had ripped through the heart of the Ulster side’s defence.

The goal came at just the right moment for the All-Ireland champions, as Monaghan had levelled the score at 0-10 apiece moments earlier.

In fact, Ciaran Hanratty could have had Monaghan three points ahead at that stage but he wasted a brilliant goal chance, blasting wide when Rory Woods was better placed inside him.

However, Kerry went up the other end and a fisted Donaghy point was followed three minutes later by the all-important winning goal.

Donaghy and Tommy Walsh formed a devastating front line of attac. The pair caused frequent havoc as the Kerry players delivered a series of high balls into the full-forward line.

Monaghan’s Vincent Corey opened the scoring after seven minutes, with Gary McQuaid popping up from centre-back to add a second soon after.

Woods, man of the match in last Saturday’s qualifier win over Donegal, had an opportunity to make it three, but he put his effort wide and Monaghan had to be sated with just two points for their early endeavour in attack.

Bryan Sheehan got the reigning All-Ireland champions off the mark a minute later, but the big talking point of the first half arrived on 12 minutes.

Kerry, as is their wont, pumped a high ball into Walsh and Donaghy in attack. Dermot McArdle snaffled out the danger before dropping the ball and allowing Donnacha Walsh through on goal.

His shot cannoned off the crossbar and fell to Donaghy, whose goalbound effort was deflected off a Monaghan player for a ’45.
Sheehan popped over the dead ball and Colm Cooper gave the Kingdom the lead from a free on 21 minutes.

Donnacha Walsh was then taken down for a penalty, which Cooper stood up to take but contrived to fire wide.

Sheehan was faring better and he levelled the game at 0-3 apiece after Tommy Freeman had temporarily nudged the Farney men ahead.

And it was to get better for the Kingdom, as late points from Tommy Walsh and Aidan O’Mahony saw them take a three-point advantage at the interval.

The intensity of the game cranked up after the break as Tommy Freeman and Woods began to take control in the Monaghan attack.

Tommy Freeman ended with just two points from play but he engaged in a fascinating duel with Marc O Se. Woods was also causing trouble for Aidan O’Mahony, who was drafted back to full back to deal with the stocky attacker.

Tommy Freeman got the better of O’Se on 47 minutes and fired over before Paul Finlay added a free to leave the game on a knife-edge.

But Donaghy and Kerry hit back with an elemental fury, the full-forward’s goal added to by Sheehan to give the champions a five-point leave with 12 minutes remaining.
Tommy Freeman and McQuaid – his second of the day – pegged Kerry back but they held out in a ferocious final few minutes to keep their dreams of a third All-Ireland in a row well and truly alive.

Scorers for Kerry: B Sheehan 0-5 (0-2f), C Cooper 0-2 (0-1f), T Walsh 0-2, A O’Mahony 0-1, K Donaghy 1-2, S Scanlon 0-1.

Kerry: D Murphy; P Reidy, M Ó Sé, T O’Sullivan; T Ó Sé, A O’Mahony, K Young; D Ó Sé, S Scanlon; T Walsh, C Cooper, D Walsh; D O’Sullivan, K Donaghy, B Sheehan.

Subs: E Brosnan for D Walsh ’42, T Griffin for S Scanlon ’57, D O’Sullivan for T Walsh ’63, S O’Sullivan for D O’Sullivan, T Walsh for K Donaghy ’72.

Scorers for Monaghan:  V Corey 0-1, G McQuaid 0-2, T Freeman 0-5 (0-3f), R Woods 0-2, E Lennon 0-1, P Finlay 0-2 (0-1f).

Monaghan: P McBennett: D Mone, JP Mone, D McArdle; D Freeman, G McQuaid, C McManus; E Lennon, D Clerkin; S Gollogly, P Finlay, V Corey; C Hanratty, R Woods, T Freeman.

Subs: D Hughes for D Clerkin ’57, R Ronaghan for C McManus ’59, P McGuigan for D Hughes ’63, S Smyth for S Gollogly ’70.

Referee: M Deegan (Laois)

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All Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 3:
Kildare 0-11 Fermanagh 0-5

Kildare’s season finally caught fire after a clinical second-half showing killed off Fermanagh at Croke Park.

After losing to Wicklow in the Leinster Championship, Sunday’s six-point win represents a massive vindication of the methods rookie manager Kieran McGeeney has adopted this year.

Such was his side’s dominance, every Kildare touch was greeted by a chorus of high-pitched screams in the closing minutes as Fermanagh’s tame challenge petered out late in the game.

However, it was only in the last 15 minutes that Kildare guaranteed their place in the draw for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, with goalkeeper Enda Murphy required to make a fine save on 55 minutes when the game was finely balanced.

Kildare, led in attack by the brilliant John Doyle, reeled off five points in a deadly late burst to kill off a Fermanagh side that was cruelly exposed for their lack of bite in front of goal.

The Erne men kicked no fewer than seven wides in the opening 12 minutes, with midfield duo Martin McGrath and Mark Murphy the main culprits.

Kieran McGeeney’s side looked set to punish the Ulster finalists’ profligacy, but the usually reliable Doyle fired a 15th minute penalty straight at Fermanagh goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher.

Doyle failed to capitalise after he was felled in the penalty area by Flanagan, who dived low to his right to stop what was a tame effort.

Amazingly, neither side managed a score until 25 minutes. Kildare’s Padraig O’Neill finally kicked the first score of the game following good work in the inside forward line, featuring Gary White as a late replacement for Ken Donnelly at full-forward.

Malachy O’Rourke’s men responded immediately through Eamon Maguire, who eluded his marker, raced to the endline and fisted the ball over the bar from a tight angle.

James Kavanagh went close for Kildare a minute later, but his attempted point struck a post and the danger in front of the Fermanagh goal was averted.

Veteran Dermot Earley showed his team-mates how to do it soon after, his curling effort a fitting end to a move that saw Doyle at his best in the corner of the attack.

Ryan Keenan grabbed Fermanagh’s second point of the game just before the break to level matters at 0-2 apiece, but there was still time for Doyle to give the Lilywhites a slender half-time lead with a late free.

Kildare started the second period brightly, with Doyle and Kavanagh nudging them into a three-point lead.

However, Tom Brewster and Shaun Doherty, who replaced the ineffective Liam McBarron, were on the mark for the Ulster outfit and the deficit was pegged back to just one point.

The turning point of the game arrived on 55 minutes when Fermanagh midfielder Murphy escaped his marker and bore down on goal. However, his shot was brilliantly stopped by the Kildare goalkeeper and the Lilywhites immediately broke up the field to extend their lead to two.

Doyle added two more points as the Fermanagh challenge faded, while Daryll Flynn and Emmett Bolton also got on the scoresheet for the by now rampant Leinster outfit.

Mark Little stopped the rot with a pointed ’45 at the death, but Doyle had the last say for Kildare as his 72nd-minute free wrapped up a six-point victory.

Scorers for Fermanagh: E Maguire 0-1, R Keenan 0-1, T Brewster 0-1, S Doherty 0-1, M Little 0-1 (0-1f).

Fermanagh: R Gallagher; S Goan, S McDermott, P Sherry; D Kelly, R McCluskey, T McElroy; M McGrath, M Murphy; C McElroy, T Brewster, R Keenan; E Maguire, L McBarron, M Little.

Subs: S Doherty for L McBarron ’22, S McCabe for C McElroy ’39, P Cadden for T Brewster ’61.

Scorers for Kildare: P O’Neill 0-1, D Earley 0-1, J Doyle 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1 ’45), J Kavanagh 0-2, E Bolton 0-1, D Flynn 0-1,

Kildare: E Murphy; M O’Flaherty, K O’Neill, A McLoughlin; E Bolton, M Foley,
M Scanlon; K Brennan, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O’Neill, E Callaghan; A Smith, G White, J Doyle.

Subs: M Conway for E Callaghan ’45, D Flynn for K Brennan ’59, R Sweeney for A Smyth ’69, A Rainbow for E Bolton ’70, D Brennan for A McLoughlin ’72.

Referee: A Mangan (Kerry)

Attendance: 30,000 (approx).

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All-Ireland SFC Round 3 Qualifier:
Mayo 1-9 Tyrone 0-13

Tyrone came good in the final quarter to score their first ever championship win over Mayo.

The Red Hands held on for a narrow success over the Connacht men to book their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Mayo had their chance to kill the game off in a dominant spell after half-time, but they shot a rash of wides to allow the Ulster men off the hook.

Alan Dillon got Mayo off the mark with a free, but Tyrone responded with a devastating burst which saw them hit three points in the space of two minutes, through Davy Harte, Enda McGinley and Sean Cavanagh.

A Tommy McGuigan free had the Red Hands ahead by 0-4 to 0-1, but Dillon, from a free, and Billy Joe Padden were on target again for the Westerners.

Conor Gormley was having a terrific tussle with Conor Mortimer, executing a brilliant block on the Mayo danger-man, but Mortimer plundered a goal in the 27th minute to put John O’Mahony’s men back in front.

Andy Moran made the running, Tom Parsons joined in, and it was Pat Harte who crossed from the right for Mortimer to palm home at the far post.

The goalscorer converted a fee to make it 1-4 to 0-5, but Tyrone also had a goal chance when McGinley, Colm McCullagh, and Brian McGuigan combined to send Tommy McGuigan clear, but his shot flashed just wide of the far post.

Tyrone did finish the half strongly with scores from defender Ryan McMenamin and a long range effort from Brian Dooher, and trailed by 1-5 to 0-7 at the interval.

Mortimer stretched the Mayo advantage from a free, but a host of other opportunities were squandered by a wasteful attack.

Another opportunity was lost when James Nallen burst through the middle, but his attempt to release Mortimer was thwarted by a timely Ciaran Gourley intercept.

Mortimer had another goal chance, thanks to the vision of Peadar Gardiner, but he blasted over for a three points lead in the 47th minute.

Tommy McGuigan finally got Tyrone’s first score of the half from a free in the 51st minute, and when Colm McCullagh coverted a free, just a point separated the sides, despite Mayo’s dominance.

The sides were level by the 56th minute when lively substitute Martin Penrose split the posts, and it was Cavanagh who put the Red Hands back in front a minute later.

Suddenly, it was Tyrone who held control of the contest, and Cavanagh thumped over a 45 metre free to push them three clear.

Dillon and Mortimer hit back with Mayo scores to narrow the gap back down to a point, but Tyrone held on for the narrowest of victories.

Tyrone: J Devine, R McMenamin (0-1), Justin McMahon, C Gourley, D Harte (0-1), C Gormley, P Jordan, R Mellon, E McGinley (0-1), B Dooher (0-1), B McGuigan, T McGuigan (0-2, 2 frees), Joe McMahon, S Cavanagh (0-4, 1 free), C McCullagh (0-2, 1 free.

Subs: C Holmes for Mellon (47mins), M Penrose (0-1) for B McGuigan (47), D Carlin for Harte (54), O Mulligan for T McGuigan (67), D McCaul for McMenamin (73)

Mayo: D Clarke, K Higgins, T Cunniffe, T Howley, P Gardiner, J Nallen, A Higgins, D Heaney, T Parsons, A Moran, P Harte, BJ Padden (0-2), C Mortimer (1-4, 3 frees), A Dillon (0-3, 3 frees), A Kilcoyne.

Subs: T Mortimer for Harte (h-t), A Campbell for Kilcoyne (55), P Kelly for Howley (61), R McGarrity for Moran (62)

Referee: C Reilly (Meath)

Wides: Tyrone 10, Mayo 9

Yellow cards:

Tyrone: C Gormley

Mayo: P Harte

Red cards:

Attendance: 27,834

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All-Ireland SFC Round 3 Qualifier
Wexford 2-13 Down 0-12

Wexford fired the perfect riposte to the critics with a comfortable 2-13 to 0-12 victory over Down in Saturday’s Round 3 Qualifier at Croke Park.

Jason Ryan’s charges certainly turned on the style in a game which saw Mattie Forde slot over seven points, while first half goals from Ciarán Lyng and PJ Banville on the full-forward line were also crucial scores.

There were early signs of Wexford’s hunger for victory when Ciarán Lyng slotted home a 15th minute goal, with PJ Banville previously having forced Down goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh to pull off a fine save.

The build-up to Lyng’s goal was a well crafted movement when Brendan Doyle won the breaking ball at midfield and showed great vision in finding Matty Forde who calmly delivered to Lyng, for the first goal of the contest.

Wexford’s attack certainly displayed more hunger with the Down forward contribution on the score-sheet limited to two Benny Coulter points, one in each half from the corner forward, who had bagged 4-6 previously in the Championship campaign.

It was only the second occasion for the Mayobridge man to fail to raise a green flag in this years competition.

If Wexford looked a lively force in the opening stages, things weren’t going to plan at the opposite end for a Down side that had scored an impressive 7-33 in their last two outings.

Corner-forward Ronan Murtagh fisted wide under pressure, while Wexford left-corner back Brian Malone was well placed to block a lively attack from half-forward Danny Hughes at the mid-way mark.

The un-erring free-taking accuracy of Down centre-half-back Aidan Carr kept Ross Carr’s side in touch but with under-foot conditions now heavy due to persistent rain, both teams found it harder to take scores, with Down particularly guilty.

Wexford used the open expanses of Croke Park particularly well to engineer a 24th minute goal, but it was a defensive blunder between Down half-back Paul Murphy and goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh which ultimately proved to be key in PJ Banville capitalising for Wexford’s second goal.

Points from Carr and Ambrose Rodgers helped cut the gap to two points, but Wexford cut loose before the break with scores from Redmond Barry and Lyng, to open up a 2-5 to 0-7 interval lead.

Down manager Ross Carr rang the changes at half-time, with Ronan Sexton, Declan Rooney and John McAreavey all introduced, however this failed to make a difference, as Wexford continued to play with great vigour on the re-start.

Those opening half goals certainly proved vital, as Wexford took a leaf out of Dublin’s book following the Leinster final, by exhibiting a more open style of play coupled with some well taken scores.

Forde’s accuracy was just as good as Down free-taker Carr and with the Killanerin clubman raising the flag on five occasions in the second half, including a spectacular 45th minute point, the loyal Wexford following sensed victory.

With possession for Coulter limited, and Down only kicking five second half points, Wexford’s experience certainly told.

Carr managed to score the first point of the second half, after five minutes, but five Wexford scores, including one from Paddy Colfer helped to open up a seven-point gap by the 61st minute.

Substitutes Declan Rooney and Stephen Kearney tried their utmost to keep Down in touch with well taken scores, but this was a game which Wexford had sewn up well before the full-time whistle, as Eric Bradley, Adrian Morrissey and Colfer were all replaced in the closing stages to a chorus of cheers from the Wexford supporters.

It was simply an off day for the Down attack who’s All-Ireland odyssey has come to an end for another year.

WEXFORD: A Masterson; D Walsh, P Wallace, B Malone; A Morrissey, D Murphy, C Morris; P Colfer (0-01), B Doyle; R Barry (0-02), E Bradley, A Flynn; C Lyng (1-01, 1f), PJ Banville (1-1), M Forde (0-07, 5f, 1 45).

Subs: C Deely for Colfer (54); S Roche for Banville (65); R Stafford for Bradley (67); G Murphy for Morrissey (69).

DOWN: B McVeigh; L Howard, P Turley, C Murney; P Murphy, A Carr (0-06, 6f), K McGuigan; D Gordon, A Rodgers (0-02); J Fegan, K McKernan, D Hughes; R Murtagh, J Clarke, B Coulter (0-02).

Subs: R Sexton for Fegan (HT); D Rooney (0-1) for McGuigan (HT), J McAreavey for Murney (HT); J McGovern for Murtagh (56); S Kearney (0-1) for McKernan (65).

REFEREE: Marty Duffy (Sligo)