Allianz NHL Round-Up
Allianz NHL Division 1
Tipperary 0-23 Clare 0-16
The holders made it three wins out of three at Semple Stadium as they showed just that bit more guile and accuracy than their Munster cousins, Willie Ryan and Seamus Callinan starring for Liam Sheedy’s side.
Diarmuid McMahon opened the scoring for The Banner, however Tipp were quick to hit back with a hat-trick of points from returning captain Ryan, two having come from frees.
A Barry Nugent score and another from McMahon had the sides level but Tipp then broke away with Callinan, Thomas Stapleton and Paul Kelly pointing and Ryan bagging two more. Tony Griffin and Jonathan Clancy pulled a couple back for Clare, but Tipp had a little cushion now and it was one they would keep for the rest of the game despite several surges from The Banner.
The Premier men has their own surge to go 0-12 to 0-6 clear with Niall McGrath joining the scorers but points from Nugent, Niall Gilligan, Colin Ryan and Griffin had the visitors back to within two at the break.
Callinan brilliantly put over the first score of the second half within a minute of the whistle but Clare defender Gerry Quinn hit back with a sublime long-range point from well in his own half. Tipp soon took a five-point lead with Callinan, McGrath and Stapleton all adding further points as Clare continued to struggle to cope with Tipp’s extra class.
Following points from Ryan and Nugent, the former was given the chance to drag his side closer to their eventual conquerors late on, but his penalty was superbly saved by the evergreen Brendan Cummins, leaving Clare deadlocked with Cork at the foot of the table, neither side having taken a point yet.
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Allianz NHL Division 1
Waterford 2-17 Kilkenny 1-16
Waterford achieved a small bit of revenge over Kilkenny after being thumped in the All-Ireland final last September by claiming victory at Walsh Park.
It was The Cats who started the game brighter by taking a slender lead, but it soon turned into a tit-for-tat contest with both sides registering scores whenever the other had popped a point over.
It was a highly competitive match that tested the accuracy of Ken McGrath and Richie Power, who were the free-takers for Waterford and Kilkenny respectively.
A goal in either half was enough to keep The Deise ahead for most of the match with the superb finishes coming from Stephen Moloumphy and Dan Shanahan. Power scored a fine goal for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough to inspire a comeback.
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Allianz NHL Division 1
Cork 1-11 Galway 4-16
Cork continue to struggle in Division One with John McIntyre’s Galway recording their first win of the season in convincing fashion at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
The Connacht men were 0-3 to 0-0 to the good in no time, corner forward Niall Healy firing over the bar before David Tierney and Ger Farragaher added further scores.
Adrian Mannix fired over Cork’s first score, but there were not too many of them coming while the ever dangerous Farragher extended his tally with a quick double for a Tribesmen side looking to put their shock defeat to Dublin a fortnight ago behind them.
And it was very much forgotten when Tierney rasied a green flag midway through the half, Galway leading 1-8 to 0-1 at that stage.
Tadhg Og Murphy, Barry Johnson (2) and Eoin Cronin pulled back a few points for the Rebels, but Cyril Donnellan beat Alan Kennedy in the Cork goal just before the break to put the result, in truth, beyond doubt, Galway leading 2-11 to 0-5 as the teams made their way to the dressing rooms.
Early second half points from Donnellan and Healy extended the Galway advantage, and while Cronin and Mannix hit back, a long-ranger from visiting defender Andy Coen was evidence enough of the gulf in class between the sides.
Aongus Callinan then made that gulf all the bigger by bagging a quickfire brace and seeing a third ruled out for a square ball.
A long hopeful puck forward from Stephen White then drifted over everyone and past Galway’s debutant goalkeeper Eric Ward to sit in the net and raise a rare cheer from the home crowd.
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Allianz NHL Division 1
Limerick 1-11 Dublin 0-12
Despite their best efforts Dublin came up short at the Gaelic Grounds as they slipped to defeat at the hands of an ever-improving Limerick side.
Alan McCrabbe was the man that kept Anthony Daly’s team in contention for the most part with an impressive points tally from his free-taking. However, he missed a crucial free in the dying minutes that would have levelled the scores.
In contrast to how Dublin played, the performance by Limerick should not be written off as Alan Moran and Andrew O’Shaughnessy impressed for the team wearing green jerseys.
There was nothing between the sides at the break with the scoreboard reading 0-6 to 0-6, but a second-half goal from Niall Moran put The Shannonsiders in control and they managed to eke out a win.
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Allianz NHL Division 2
Offaly 4-20 Kerry 0-8
A one-sided game was played out in Tullamore as Offaly hammered a Kerry team that looked deflated as soon as they conceded a flurry of points early on.
The scoreline might flatter the hosts, but they are proving to be one of the stronger outfits in Division Two with this win keeping them on top of the table and building some momentum after the recent 11-point win over Westmeath.
Michael Verney staked a claim for a regular place in the side with a solid showing in midfield, while the full-forward line was busy throughout with Joe Bergin, in particular, making a valid contribution.
Offaly have now scored seven goals from two league games, so confidence is high within their camp as they look to stay on top of the pile.
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Allianz NHL Division 2
Antrim 4-16 Wexford 4-12
Antrim came from behind to earn a superb win over Wexford in a high-scoring affair at Casement Park.
Diarmuid Lyng led Wexford into a half-time lead after 35 minutes in which they netted on four occasions, but the Ulstermen fought back to move level on points with the Model County and Offaly on four points at the top of the section.
Antrim actually started the brighter and PJ O’Connell fired to the net in the early stages for them.
However, Wexford who scored four goals in each of their two opening games against Kerry and Laois, repeated the trick once again with Lyng finding the net twice in the first half.
Stephen Doyle and Eoin Quigley were also on target, but Kieran Kelly managed to reduce the deficit with an Antrim goal just before the break, at which point the visitors were 4-6 to 2-9 ahead.
Brendan Herron was the hero after the interval, the Antrim ace adding his name to the goalscorers’ list before Niall McManus did the same from with a penalty. At the other end, Ryan McGarry was also playing a vital role for Antrim, keeping out Wexford on several further occasions.
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Allianz NHL Division 2
Westmeath 4-10 Down 4-18
There was another goalfest at Cusack Park with Kieran Courtney starring as Down saw off struggling Westmeath for their first win of the season.
The game was just 30 seconds old when Courtney found the net for the first time in Westmeath were really on the ropes when Paul Braniff raised a green flag as well on the quarter-hour mark.
Luke Folan and Killian Cosgrove then found the net as Westmeath hit back and went in front, but Courtney’s second goal ensured that his side led 3-8 to 2-7 at the break.
Stephen Clarke got a fourth goal for Down in the second half as his side move clear of their hosts, though Robbie Jackson and Andrew Mitchell did bag late goals ast he home side refused to give in.
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Allianz NHL Division 2
Laois 3-12 Carlow 2-11
Laois collected their first win of the league as they were too strong for neighbours Carlow in Portlaoise.
It was quite close in the early stages of the game, although the pace within the home side’s half-forward and full-forward lines start to make a difference.
The eight changes that manager Niall Rigney made ahead of this fixture paid off in the second period as James Young and Zane Keenan stood out for The O’Moore County.
Carlow will be enthused by the fact that they managed to score two goals as well as hit eleven points over, but there is plenty of work still to do for them.
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Allianz NHL Division 3A
Derry 1-13 Meath 1-17
Meath soared to the top of Division 3A thanks to a great win over Derry in Swatragh.
The home side started the day on top of the section, but relinquished that position to their visitors, who led by 0-10 to 0-5 at the break.
A goal early in the second half gave the Oak Leafers hope, but Meath hit back with one of their own and have now taken two wins from two. The defeat is Derry’s first of the campaign.
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Allianz NHL Division 3A
Armagh 1-13 Kildare 1-12
Armagh also moved above Derry as they climbed to second with their first win of the season, a narrow one-point success over Kildare.
The Orchard County hurlers trailed at the break as Andy Comeford’s men went in 1-7 to 1-5 in front.
There were to be no more goals in the second half, which the home side shaded to bag all two points.
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Allianz NHL Division 3A
Wicklow 0-16 Mayo 2-15
Wicklow are rooted to the foot of the section after a home defeat to Mayo.
The two sides went into this one without a point between them ahead of the game and Wicklow would have been expected by many to change that in their favourr on the day.
But it was Mayo and not the Garden County who provided the killing scores, coming from 0-8 to 0-5 down at half-time to win out thanks to two second-half goals.
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Allianz NHL Division 3B
Louth 2-14 London 3-18
London maintained their winning start to the league with a good showing in Dundalk as they beat Louth.
Every year the pressure is on The Exiles to cope with the demands of playing against some of the best inter-county teams and they are showing this time around that they are up to that challenge.
A scoring blitz ensured they found the back of the net three times with a good return of points complimenting their zippy attack play. They remain on top of the table after the second round of games and have still to reach their peak.
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Allianz NHL Division 3B
Roscommon 3-20 Donegal 1-11
Roscommon showed class and precision as they racked up an impressive victory over Donegal in Athleague.
The Rossies smashed in three goals to elevate them up to second in the league table, which leaves them level with leaders London on four points.
If they can continue their bright start to the campaign, then they should be real contenders for topping the division.
On the flip side to their positive strides, it isn’t a great start for Donegal. They huffed and puffed, but their defence crumbled when it was needed to stand firm at crucial stages of the game.
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Allianz NHL Division 3B
Tyrone 0-13 Longford 1-9
It was extremely tight at Healy Park as Tyrone eventually snatched a one-point win against a plucky Longford team.
The Ulster side now have their first victory of the 2009 season, although they should be alarmed by the amount of points that they have been conceding with a points difference of minus 33 not reflecting too highly on their defence.
Nevertheless, they have won a game and that is something that they should take many positives from – no matter how close it was in the game.
Longford need to keep their work-rate as high as it was in the second-half of this match if they are going to lift themselves off the foot of the table.
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NHL Division 4:
Monaghan 0-13 Leitrim 0-12
It was a very tight game at Clones where Monaghan just came out on top by the odd point in 25.
The win ensures that they top Division Four while Leitrim are propping up the rest, having lost a 0-8 to 0-7 half-time lead.
Leitrim went on to lead 0-10 to 0-9, but the Farney men rallied to ensure the spoils late on.
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NHL Division 4:
Sligo 0-15 Fermanagh 2-11
Fermanagh are up to second after a goal in either half saw them pip Sligo by two points at Markievicz Park.
The sides were level at the break, Sligo having scored 0-9 to the Erne men’s 1-6, but a second goal made all the difference for the Ulster men, who were recording their first win of the season.
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NHL Division 4:
Cavan 2-14 South Down 1-9
Cavan picked up a very rare NHL win as they saw off the challenge of South Down at Ballyconnell.
The Breffni hurlers trailed at the break as the men from the Mourne County led 1-8 to 1-6.
However, they went on to fire over the bar just once in the second half, while the home side picked them off for their first points of the campaign.
