Allianz NFL Round-Up
Allianz NFL Division 1:
Derry 0-13 Galway 2-7
A late Enda Muldoon point rescued a draw for Derry in an absorbing encounter with Galway in Maghera on Sunday. Galway had been in charge for the entire second-half but a late rally from Derry brought them back into things although the outstanding Michael Meehan looked like he had won it for the Tribesmen until Muldoon’s salvo.
Derry began well and were 0-3 to 0-0 ahead after a few minutes, the excellent Paddy Bradley grabbing a superb opener along with an early free and centre-half back Barry McGoldrick also putting an impressive placed ball over from distance. Derry had the breeze with them in the first half on a bright, brisk day but Galway never let them get too far in front, with Meehan in sparkling form. The Caltra man, who has been excellent for the entire league campaign to date, got four of their first five points to leave Derry just one point in front, 0-6 to 0-5 after 25 minutes.
Just before the break, Galway took the lead with a superbly worked goal involving Meehan and Padraic Joyce which Paul Conroy finished well. Paddy Bradley levelled the game with a free on the stroke of half-time to leave it 1-5 to 0-8 as the two sides went in.
Paul Young and Conroy exchanged points in a scrappy opening to the second period as little separated the sides. However, Galway looked like they would kick on to victory when Meehan smashed a penalty to the net after Sean Armstrong was bundled over. That made it 2-6 to 0-9 but Derry battled back thanks to points from Muldoon and Paddy Bradley, whose brilliance was only rivalled by Meehan’s on the day.
Meehan’s late point looked like it would maintain Galway’s perfect record in the league but Muldoon’s controlled effort had the final say.
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Allianz NFL Division 1:
Donegal 0-11 Tyrone 0-8
Five pointed frees from Stephen Griffin proved all-important as John Joe Doherty’s side registered their first win of the campaign to move onto three points – just one behind the All-Ireland champions, who are now threatened by relegation themselves.
Tyrone were surprisingly lack-lustre and went an astonishing 37 minutes without scoring, managing just one point in the second half.
Two Sean Cavanagh frees gave Mickey Harte’s men the early advantage, but these were cancelled out by two superb long-range efforts by Donegal wing back Michael Maguire. Griffin converted three frees in a closely contested first half that saw the sides level five times.
David Walsh became the first Donegal attacker to score from play in the 25th minute, as they came from 0-4 to 0-6 down to level the scoring at 0-7 apiece at half-time.
The home side continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession in the second half and took the lead for the first time in the 42nd minute through the evergreen Roper. Two more Griffin frees established a three-point lead before an out-of-sorts Tyrone were given hope when substitute Brian McGuigan ended their long scoring drought.
But despite having plenty of chances in the closing stages, there was to be no snatch-and-grab victory for the Red Hands on this occasion as Donegal held on for a crucial win.
Donegal: P Durcan, J Gallagher, N McGee, P McDaid, C Byrne, B Monaghan, M Maguire (0-2), B Boyle, C Toye (0-1), D Walsh (0-1), B Roper (0-1), R Kavanagh, C Dunne, S Griffin (0-5, 5f), M Doherty (0-1, f).
Subs: E Waide for Maguire (yellow card, 48), M Murphy for Griffin (56), R Sweeney for Monaghan (65), R Bradley for Boyle (68), O Doherty for Dunne (69)
Tyrone: J Devine, PJ Quinn, C Gormley, C Gourley, D Harte, S O’Neill, P Jordan, K Hughes, C Holmes, C Cavanagh, O Mulligan (0-1), T McGuigan, C McCullagh (0-2, 1f), S Cavanagh (0-3, 2f), R Mellon (0-1).
Subs: B McGuigan (0-1) for Mellon (50), E McGinley for Holmes (54), M Swift for Quinn (55), M Penrose for McCullagh (59), N Gormley for T McGuigan (66), C McCarron for C Gormley (72).
(Report: hoganstand.com)
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Allianz NFL Division 2:
Kildare 1-10 Armagh 1-12
Mikey Conway missed a penalty late on for Kildare as they lost to Armagh in Newbridge by two points.
In an extremely tight game in which neither side ever got too far in front, a penalty from Aidan O’Rourke and a fine individual showing from Ronan Clarke was vital for Armagh as they clung on for victory over a side coached by one of greatest ever players.
Armagh took an early 0-3 to 0-2 lead with Clarke trading scores with Johnny Doyle and Conway before Aaron Kernan’s free gave the Orchard County the lead. However, Kildare showed the kind of energetic hustle that has seen them rise to the top of Division Two with a stirring effort for the remainder of the half.
Padraig O’Neill sent over a magical long-distance point before Aidan Callanan’s goal put the Lilywhites in charge at the break. Steven McDonnell’s point at the end of the half made it 1-7 to 0-8 but Kildare were looking good.
However, when a penalty was awarded to Armagh after Martin O’Rourke was felled somewhat innocuously, Martin O’Rourke tucked it away confidently to put Armagh one point ahead.
From there, Armagh took charge. Kevin O’Rourke and Doyle exchanged points before Ronan Clarke took his fourth point and Aaron Kernan pointed his third free.
Conway’s penalty would have changed everything but Phillip McEvoy saved it and when the rebound was cleared away, the points were Armagh’s.
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Allianz NFL Division 2:
Meath 0-12 Monaghan 0-12
Monaghan remain in the promotion hunt from Division 2 of the NFL after Paul Finlay’s late pointed free earned them a share of the spoils against Meath at Pairc Tailteann last night.
The Royals looked set to chalk up their third win on the trot when they led by 0-12 to 0-10 with five minutes remaining, but faded in the closing stages as late points from corner back Dessie Mone and Finlay snatched a draw for the visitors.
The game was slow to come to life with the first score not arriving until the 12th minute. But after that, the scores began to flow and the sides went into half-time level on 0-7 each.
Eamonn O’Brien’s charges grabbed the initiative after the restart and were rewarded with points from Cian Ward, Seamus Kenny and Stephen Bray. But Monaghan refused to wilt and grabbed what could yet prove to be a precious league point.
Scorers – Meath: C Ward 0-6 (4f), S Bray 0-3, C King 0-2, S Kenny 0-1. Monaghan: P Finlay 0-6 (3f), M Downey 0-2, T Freeman, D Clerkin, C Hanratty, D Mone 0-1 each.
Meath: P O’Rourke; C O’Connor, A Moyles, E Harrington; S Kenny, K Reilly, D Flood; M Ward, N Crawford; S McAnarney, C Ward, B Meade; S Bray, C King, R Maguire. Subs: N McKeigue for Harrington (55 yc), B Regan for Meade (58), P Byrne for Kenny (63 yc), D Sheridan for M Ward (69).
Monaghan: S Duffy; D Mone, JP Mone, V Corey; C McManus, G McQuaid, D Hughes; D Clerkin, O Lennon; S Gallogly, P Finlay, M Downey; R Woods, R Ronaghan, T Freeman. Subs: D Freeman for Ronaghan (ht), C Hanratty for McManus (48), D McArdle for JP Mone (50).
Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).
(Report: hoganstand.com)
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Allianz NFL Division 2:
Laois 0-23 Fermanagh 1-14
Laois bounced back from last weekend’s mauling at the hands of Cork to post a very impressive score against fellow relegation strugglers Fermanagh at O’Moore Park last night.
Sean Dempsey’s under-pressure side answered their critics with a brilliant first half scoring display in which top-scorer Michael John Tierney, Ross Munnelly and Brian ‘Bruno’ McCormack all found the target. Daryl Keenan punched a Fermanagh goal after 20 minutes, but the home side responded by scoring nine unanswered points to go into the break 0-15 to 1-5 in front.
The O’Moore County continued to play their best football of the year so far after the restart and were particularly impressive in the final quarter as they pull away for a crucial win.
Scorers – Laois: MJ Tierney 0-9, R Munnelly 0-4, B McCormack, D Kingston, P Clancy 0-2 each, D Rooney, P McMahon, B Sheehan, P McNulty 0-1 each. Fermanagh: D Keenan 1-3, M Little, C McElroy 0-3 each, T McElroy, R Carson, E Ferris, D Kelly, R Keenan 0-1 each.
Laois: M Nolan; P Begley, C Ryan, R Stapleton; D Rooney, G Reddin, P McMahon; P Clancy, K Meaney; B McCormack, B Quigley, B Sheehan; MJ Tierney, R Munnelly, D Kingston. Subs: A Fennelly for McMahon (yc), P McNulty for McCormack, D Strong for Rooney.
Fermanagh: R Gallagher; S Goan, S Lyons, M Jones; P Sherry, S McDermott, P Johnson; M McGrath, J Sherry; D Keenan, T McElroy, S O’Brien; E Maguire, R Carson, E Ferris. Subs: M Little for Johnson, D Kelly for Gowan, N Bogue for Sherry, C McElroy forMcGrath (yc), R Keenan for S O’Brien.
Referee: M Condon (Waterford).
(Report: hoganstand.com)
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Allianz NFL Division 3:
Limerick 2-9 Down 1-11
The margin of a solitary point was enough for Limerick to move off the foot of Division Three on Sunday as they defeated Down at The Gaelic Grounds.
Mickey Ned O’Sullivan’s charges had the better of the game for the majority, leading by five points at the break, but in the end they needed a late Stephen Kelly point to claim the win.
Hugh Davey opened the scoring for Down with Kelly equalising before Daniel Hughes made it 0-2 to 0-1 in favour of the Ulster side.
John Galvin fired a lovely goal to the Down net to give Limerick the lead and they were 1-5 to 0-3 ahead at the break, with Hughes scoring Down’s third score.
Joe Ireland missed a great chance for Down early in the second half, though John Fegan did grab a quick point to get them a little closer. Ballylanders hit-man Kieran O’Callaghan them rammed in Limerick’s second goal to give them a clear advantage, but Paul McComiskey notched a point and then raised a green flag of his own to keep the game alive.
There was just three in it at that stage and two when Benny Coulter – who did not start after a failed fitness test – added another point, but it was three again when Kelly pointed.
However, scores from Hughes, Fegan and Aidan Carr had it level all of a sudden before Kelly’s late points impeded the Mourne men’s promotion hopes, which are beginning to fade.
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Allianz NFL Division 3:
Offaly 1-16 Cavan 0-13
John Reynolds’ goal midway through the second half proved crucial for Offaly as it propelled them to victory over Cavan in Division Three on Sunday. The teams had been level at 0-12 apiece just before that, with Offaly intercepting a miskicked Cavan lineball and scoring a point through Ciaran McManus just before Reynolds goaled after Niall McNamee’s clever assist. The Breffnimen never recovered from that collapse and Offaly went on to win by a comfortable six-point margin. Offaly led 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time with McManus and full-forward Niall Darby in outstanding form. McManus got four points in total for Offaly, with Darby hitting over five points, four from play.
A major turning point just before the break was Sean Johnstone’s missed penalty for Cavan. The saved effort meant Offaly had a comfortable buffer at the break and despite Cavan’s resurgence in the second-half, their self-destruction with the surrendering of possession on the lineball determined their fate.
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Allianz NFL Division 4:
Antrim 3-19 London 0-4
Shock winners over Waterford last weekend, London were brought crashing back down to earth with a bang in Casement Park last night when they were hammered by Division 4 table-toppers Antrim.
The Saffrons laid the foundations for their facile win in the opening half when they raced into a 0-11 to 0-2 lead, despite playing against the breeze. Team captain Paddy Cunningham was one of six first half scorers for the home side, with three of his four points coming from play. Galway native Chris Donnellan and Tyrone’s Chris Eastwood registered the Exiles’ only replies.
After midfielder Dara Edwards had increased Antrim’s lead, Cunningham fired home a penalty in the 42nd minute to make it 1-13 to 0-3. Michael Pollock and Colm Fleming added further majors in the 64th and 71st minutes, while London’s misery was compounded by the dismissals of Brian McBrearty and Conor Beirne on second yellow cards.
Scorers:
Antrim: P Cunningham 1-5 (pen, 2f), M Pollock 1-2, T McCann 0-3 (1 ’45), C Fleming 1-0, M Dougan 0-2, D O’Hagan, D Edwards, A Gallagher, J Loughrey, K Brady 0-1 each
London: C Eastwood, P Duffy, C Donnellan (1f), K Phair 0-1 each
(Report: hoganstand.com)
