Donegal 1-22; Derry 1-19
Donegal and Derry have this strange fascination going on with the pendulum swinging first one way and then the other in terms of seasons when either side gains the upper hand.
Certainly the Oak Leaf County were on the higher ground until Jim McGuinness took over the helm at Donegal last year and on the evidence of recent result, it looks like he has the Indian Sign on Paddy Tally’s men.
Mind you, it was a close game in the end and without a blistering finale where they scored 1-7 without reply and without the introduction of long term talisman Michael Murphy for the second half, it is likely we would be writing a much brighter story from a Derry point of view.
Instead, the Foylesiders are now in deep more and looks odds on togo through the relegation trapdoor unless the can find the form of the first three-quarters of this game and sustain it to the finish.
The big crowd at Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon must have felt that 12 minutes left plus injuries, Derry had turned the corner in this particular tete-a-tete as they led by seven points - 1-19 to 0-15.
It didn’t help their cause that Brendan Rogers had to go off injured then at a time when Michael Murphy began to pull the strings for the home side. Murphy was calling the shots and if those around him were a little sharper they could have scored two goals in movies he initiated.
The star players never stop probing and Murphy pointed a free before setting up the excellent Shane O’Donnell which both elevated the big home support and the team to kick on in the closing minutes.
That they did with gusto as big Ciaran Thompson weighed in with a two-pointer before ending on a high with unanswered four points ifrom Conor O’Donnell (2), Ciaran Moore and Dáire Ó Baoill.
Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, B McCole, E Ban Gallagher; R McHugh (0-1), C McGonagle, C Moore (0-1); C Thompson (0-6, 1tpf,1tp), H McFadden (0-1); S O’Donnell (1-1), N O’Donnell, D Ó Baoill (0-5, 1tp); C O’Donnell (0-3), OGallen (0-3, 1tp), J Brennan Subs: M Murphy (0-1f) for N O’Donnell and O McFadden Ferry for Curran (both ht); C McColgan for Brennan (50); E McHugh for H McFadden (57); O Doherty for R McHugh (61)
Derry: O Lynch; D Baker, EMcEvoy (0-1), M Bradley; C Doherty (0-1), B Rogers, P McGrogan; C Glass (1-1), A Tohill; D Higgins, P Cassidy (0-2), E Doherty (0-1); N Loughlin (0-1), S McGuigan (0-6,1tpf,0-4f), L Murray (0-6, 2 t-p) Subs: M Doherty for Bradley (50); C McMonagle for Loughlin (52); D Cassidy for Rogers (58); P McGurk for McGrogan (65)
Ref: J Henry (Mayo)
Armagh 1-20; Dublin 1-12
There was something in this game for both sides but there was no disputing that Kieran McGeeney was wearing the bigger smile following his side’s eight-point win over Dessie Farrell’s Dublin at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday.
The meeting of the last two Sam Maguire winners turned into a cake-walk early doors as the home side totally dominated and led by 1-15 to 0-3 (a 15 point advantage from 12 at half-time) at one time before Dublin showed tremendous character in a fightback that will given Farrell hope as he enters the final stages of the league.
Still you couldn’t doubt that this game will have given Armagh huge confidence for the rest of the season as at times they played an exhilarating brand of football in the first half which had the Dubs chasing shadows.
With the likes Andrew Murnin, Greg McCabe and Conor Turbitt excelling in play and Paddy Burns showing what a good man marker he is on key Dublin forward Con O’Callahan before going off in the first half, Armagh will be further boosted by the return of Oisin O’Neill.
The loss of Sean Bugler to the Dubs was always going to be a big blow but with Ciarán Kilkenny switched to the 40, it took them a while to find their scoring range, but once they did, they too were impressive.
After scoring only three first half points, they dug deep and what was clear is that this Dublin team, when they finally get a full strength starting 15 out, will be at least competitive and maybe even a match for the very best.
Armagh went on a scoring fest with Murnin, Turbitt and McCabe scoring great points while the returning O’Neill landed a two-pointer.
Custodian Ethan Rafferty then found Barry McCambridge with the pass of the day and the defender shot past keeper visiting No 1 Evan Comerford. Rafferty shot a 45 when a goal was on but was cleared by desperate defending by Theo Clancy.
Incredibly when rory Grugan pointed, it left the score 1-9 to 0-0 against the hapless Dubs and it was O’Callaghan who got their first score 20 mins into the game. Midfielder Brian Howard and the emerging Luke Breathnach got their two other first half scores while both Turbitt and McCabe raised white flags for the hosts.
Armagh continued after the break to be the dominant force with Ross Quillan and Grugan adding further scores.
Would the Dubs be totally annihilated? It seemed so at that stage but then O’Callaghan landed a two-pointer and added a free as Dubs upped their game.
The same talisman O’Callaghan did the spadework which allowed the growing-in-confidence Lorcan O’Dell to shoot past Rafferty and signal a Dublin revival.
The majestic O’Callaghan lofted over another two-pointer, young Breathnach got his second of the day and sub Kevin Lahiff scored a point with his first touch. In all the Dubs hit 1-7 without reply until Greg McCabe raised a white flag for the homesters.
The returning Cormac Costello made it a five-point game seconds after coming off the bench and was unlucky to have a second score disallowed.
Armagh steadied the ship with Darragh McMullen pushing the lead back to six-points on the hour mark. Tomas McCormack then fired over a fine point to give his side even more poise while the Dubs went the Hail Mary route of going for outlandish two-pointers even when they weren’t on. Turbitt rounded off the scoring from free to make it a relatively easy eight-point win for Armagh at the end of the contest.
Afterwards Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty echoed the thought of McGeeney by declaring that the continuous changing of rules in Gaelic football is creating uncertainty for players and officials alike.
“I didn’t see a whole pile wrong with it last year," he said. "Some teams are using it (roving goalkeeper) for slowing it down, other teams are using it to their advantage. It might appeal to teams to use it that way.”
Referencing the 20-second rule for kickouts, he added: “It’s that uncertainty. The rules changed again with the 20-second rule. It was harsh on Evan (Comerford), and in the second half I felt it was harsh on myself. It’s the uncertainty. You are going into a game each week and you have no clue what’s coming around the corner.
“We) are using it to try and play more advantageous football, to transition a lot quicker. There is a lot coming down the train track for players and referees and I think it is a lot at one time,” he stressed.
Armagh: E Rafferty (0-1f); T McCormack (0-1), B McCambridge (1-0), P Burns; C Mackin, G McCabe (0-3), R McQuillan (0-2); J Duffy, O O’Neill (0-2, 1tp); P McGrane, R Grugan (0-3, 0-1f), D McMullen (0-1); C Turbitt (0-6 0-3f), A Murnin (0-1), O Conaty Subs: GMurphy for P Burns (ht’), Campbell for O O’Neill (46’), J Óg for J Duffy (52’), J Hall for McQuillan (62’), McPartlan for O Conaty (67’),
Dublin: E Comerford; D Byrne, T Clancy, C Tyrrell; G McEneaney, S MacMahon, C Murphy; B Howard (0-1), T Lahiff; N O’Callaghan, C Kilkenny (0-1), N Scully; E O’Donnell, C O’Callaghan (0-6, 0-1 tpf, 0-1 tp, 0-1f), L Breathmach (0-2) Subs: B O’Leary for N O’Callaghan (15’), L O’Dell (1-0) for E O’Donnell (27’), A Gavin for McEnaney (38’), C Costello (0-1) for Breathnach (55’), K Lahiff (0-01) for N Scully (61’).
Ref: N Cullen (Fermanagh).
Mayo 0-21; Kerry 1-16
This was a thrilling spectacle, maybe the finest yet under the new rules, with the packed house delighting in a tit-for-tat contest as Mayo moved into mid-table with a two-point win over Kerry at Castlebar on Saturday.
Often accused of dying when in front, Mayo showed steel and character in abundance as they shot the last four points of the game to edge past the Kingdom in front of almost 10,000 fans.
Typical of Mayo, they didn’t make easy for their supporters as they led by seven points at the break and then looked like jettisoning their good work to allow Kerry back into the lead in the final quarter.
Home fans would have been forgiven for thinking the worst when David Clifford shot over a two-point score and then added a close in free. Former Mayo side might have wilted bu this young side Kevin McStay is building is made of sterner stuff.
They went forward with purpose from then on and David McBrien, sub Fergal Boland, MVP Ryan O’Donoghue and Matthew Ruane all lofted over great points to win a most entertaining game.
Mayo: C Reape (0-1); J Coyne, D McHugh, E Hession; S Coen, D McBrien (0-1), S Callinan (0-1); J Carney (0-1), M Ruane (0-3); F Kelly, D McHale (0-2), J Flynn; A O’Shea, R O’Donoghue (0-9, 0-5fs, 0- 2tpf), F Irwin (0-2) Subs: S Morahan for Callinan (50'); E McLaughlin for Kelly (52'); P Towey for Irwin (57'); F Boland (0-01) for Flynn (61'); B Tuohy for McHale (68').
S Ryan; D Bourke, J Foley, D Casey; G O’Sullivan, M Breen, B Ó Beaglaoich (1-0); D O’Connor (0-1), J O’Connor; D Lyne, P Clifford (0-1), A Heinrich; D Clifford (0-6, 0-2fs, 0-1tp), P Geaney (0-3, 0-1f), D Geaney (0-4, 0–2tp) Subs: M Burns for Heinrich (30'); M O’Shea for Lyne (50'); P Murphy for Bourke (52'); C Geaney (0-1) for P Geaney (53'); D O’Sullivan for D Geaney.
Ref: S Hurson (Tyrone).
FOOTBALL RESULTS
FL Division 1
Armagh 1-20 Dublin 1-12
Mayo 0-21 Kerry 1-16
Donegal 1-22 Derry 1-19
Galway 1-18 Tyrone 1-18
FL Division 2
Roscommon 2-21 Cork 0-13
Cavan 1-20 Down 1-18
Monaghan 1-27 Louth 1-21
Meath 3-14 Westmeath 1-17
FL Division 3
Fermanagh 0-19 Sligo 0-19
Laois 0-22 Antrim 1-17
Clare 2-12 Kildare 0-16
Offaly 1-13 Leitrim 1-9
FL Division 4
Limerick 2-21 Tipperary 3-8
Wexford 2-17 Waterford 0-11
Wicklow 2-18 Carlow 2-14
Longford 0-16 London 1-12
