Sunday’s fixtures:
NFL Division 1 – Roscommon 2-20 Donegal 0-20 (FT); Monaghan 2-9 Galway 1-20 (FT)
NFL Division 2 – Offaly 3-15 Cavan 2-20 (FT)
NFL Division 3 – Clare 2-17 Wexford 1-23 (FT); Sligo 0-21 Down 2-24 (FT); Westmeath 4-21 Limerick 3-8 (FT)
NFL Division 4 – Waterford 0-11 Antrim 4-18 (FT); Leitrim 3-19 Longford 1-15 (FT); Wicklow 3-19 Tipperary 0-13 (FT)
NHL Division 1A – Waterford 1-23 Tipperary 2-24 (FT)
Gerry Buckley reports, as Down win promotion to Division 2.
[Down seal return to Division 2, Wexford and Westmeath set up final-round showdown]
And here is the Division 2 table, as there are four teams in with a shout of promotion.
The reports from the earlier fixtures are starting to reach in. Offaly went down in Division 2 after late drama gainst Cavan.
[Cavan narrowly avoid defeat to relegate Offaly from Division 2]
This weekend’s results mean that everyone has something to play for on the final week of Division 1. Galway need to avoid defeat Dublin to stay out of the relegation zone, while Dublin and Armagh will both be chasing wins to gain themselves clear. At the other end, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal and Kerry can all still qualify for the Division 1 final.
Here’s the table with a round to move, courtsey of GAALeagueTables on X (formerly Twitter).
Full-time: Monaghan 2-9 Galway 1-20
Monaghan never got going, and they really haven’t throughout the league campaign. This confirms their relegation.
Galway now sit two points above relegation, with Dublin left to play next week.
72 Mins: John Maher is named man of the match, but really you could have had your pick of the Galway scorers. Monaghan 2-9 Galway 1-20
69 Mins: Goal for Monaghan! Mícheal McCarville with the finish, and it’s a beauty. He was lucky that the ball broke out to him, but there was nothing lucky about the finish. Monaghan 2-8 Galway 1-20
66 Mins: Another couple of wides from Monaghan sums up their day out today. Monaghan 1-8 Galway 1-20
62 Mins: Rory Beggan makes a brilliant save from Costello, but the ball breaks back out to Finnerty, who curls a beauty of a point over. Monaghan 1-8 Galway 1-19
59 Mins: Finnerty sends Ryan O’Toole to the shops with a dummy hop and slots a two-pointer. Monaghan 1-8 Galway 1-17
57 Mins: Finnerty adds a two-pointer and then the sub Colm Costello gets a good score off his left. Next it’s Paul Conroy’s turn, as he blasts a two-pointer over. Monaghan 1-8 Galway 1-17
55 Mins: Seán Kelly skins his man and is one-on-one with Beggan, but the Monaghan ‘keeper does a good job of flicking it over. Monaghan 1-8 Galway 1-12
53 Mins: A couple of really important scores for Monaghan. First, Beggan kicks a two-point-free, and then O’Hnalon kicks a peach off his left. Monaghan 1-8 Galway 1-11
51 Mins: A lovely two-pointer from Paul Conroy, who has come on for Galway. Monaghan 1-5 Galway 1-11
48 Mins: Lovely score from Darcy, who eases past his man and strikes it over on the right. Monaghan 1-5 Galway 1-9
46 Mins: John Maher goes through the gears, plays a one-two with Seán Kelly, and fists one over. Monaghan 1-5 Galway 1-8
45 Mins: Rob Finnerty gets a nice score, wriggling free from the Monaghan defenders and popping it over. Bannigan gets a fisted point to keep it to two. Monaghan 1-5 Galway 1-7
41 Mins: GOAL for Monaghan! Dessie Ward is on the end of a fortuitous break, takes a touchon the deck, and then slots it into the top corner so casually. Lovely soccer style finish. Monaghan 1-4 Galway 1-6
37 Mins: Back underway now in Inniskeen. Matthew Tierney gets the first score of the half with a nice kick on the turn. Monaghan 0-4 Galway 1-6
36 Mins: No hooter system, so two minutes of added time here. Monaghan kick the ball straight to Oisin Mac Donnacha an in their own half, under no pressure, and he races through on goal. His effort is clearly foot-blocked by Daragh McElearney, but it’s not given.
Half-time: Monaghan 0-4 Galway 1-5
That was a poor half of football.
31 Mins: Rory Beggan slashes at a two-point attempt from play. Nothing going right for the Farney men. Monaghan 0-4 Galway 1-5
29 Mins: Finnerty pops a free over. Then Céin Darcy plucks a ball out of the sky in a huge crowd, and Tierney finishes the move with a fisted point. Monaghan 0-4 Galway 1-5
27 Mins: Galway only had two up in the half, so McCarron gets a chance for the ideal two-pointer. It goes wide. Not much going right up fron for Monaghan. Monaghan 0-4 Galway 1-3
25 Mins: Ryan O’Toole makes a great run forward, is found by Dessie Ward, and then picks out Bannigan inside. He decides to go for the point, but there was a half chance of a goal. Monaghan 0-4 Galway 1-3
23 Mins: Rob Finnerty wins a free and then puts it over. Andrew Woods then drops a short really badly short. Monaghan 0-3 Galway 1-3
20 Mins: Rory Beggan does well to clean up when a free drops short. McCarron goes for a speculative two-point attempt, but it doesn’t curl around in time. Monaghan 0-3 Galway 1-2
15 Mins: A nice score for Mícheál Bannigan, flicking it up and curling it over.
Goal for Galway! John Maher breaks through the Monaghan defence, feeding McHugh, and his pass finds Oisin Mac Donnacha who blasts it home. Monaghan 0-3 Galway 1-2
13 Mins: Matthew Tierney pops the first score of the game, but McCarron replies with a two-point-free. Dylan McHugh levels matters a minute later. Monaghan 0-2 Galway 0-2
Seán Moran’s last update from Walsh Park is with us now:
Waterford 1-23,Tipperary 2-24
“Huge disappointment for Waterford, who lost their place in hurling’s top flight after their last fixture of the season ended in a four-point defeat against All-Ireland champions Tipperary.
The home side led by eight at the break, 1-17 to 1-9, having harnessed a strong wind but they were too hungrier and more committed to the contest. Liam Cahill must have had strong words in the half-time dressing-room due to the fact that Tipp came out with a transformed attitude and any rustiness caused by returning players shaken out of their system.
Four points on resumption, Stefan Tobin twice, Conor Stakelum and a 65 from Jason Forde halved the deficit before Waterford got on the board and the comeback felt inevitable.
The critical score came in the 58th minute when replacement Gearóid O’Connor was on hand to apply a fine finish after an urgent run at the Waterford defence by Jake Morris had opened up the opportunity.
The verdict wasn’t fully in until the end and it took a surgical intervention in injury-time by Bryan O’Mara to cut out a ball across the Tipp goal by Dessie Hutchinson to prevent what would have been an equalising goal. A couple of frees by Darragh McCarthy saw it out for the visitors.
It was just about deserved but tough on Waterford.”
10 Mins: Cian Hernon gets a super block on Jack McCarron, probably the highlight so far. Monaghan 0-0 Galway 0-0
7 mins: It’s been a quiet opening, marked by mistakes so far. Liam Ó Conghaile is the latest to hit a shot wide. Monaghan 0-0 Galway 0-0
4 Mins: Cian Hernon gets galway’s first chance of the day, and it’s a goal chance, too. However, his wild effort is blasted wide. Monaghan 0-0 Galway 0-0
2 Min: Galway-Monaghan is underway in Inniskeen. Obviously there’s a big wind behind Monaghan in the first half, as Beggan lines up a free off the deck from nearly 65 yards. It goes harmlessly wide though. Monaghan 0-0 Galway 0-0
Here’s the Monaghan team to start against Galway. No news on late changes.
And no news either on Galway’s late replacements.
Full-time NFL Division 2: Offaly 3-15 Cavan 2-20
Cavan leapfrog Kildare, to abandon them and Offaly in the relegation zone.
Offaly are officially relegated back to Division 3.
Other full-time scores listed above.
Cavan have surely won it! A two-pointer from Ryan Donohoe is followed by a point for Emmanuel Shehu, leaving two in it for the visitors. 69 Mins: Offaly 3-15 Cavan 2-20
Full-time NHL Division 1A: Waterford 1-23 Tipperary 2-24
Goal for Offaly! Jack McEvoy put Offaly one in front, but Eoin Clarke has levelled it again. Then Jordan Hayes puts the Faithful County back in front. 68 Mins: Offaly 3-15 Cavan 2-17
Reuben Halloran’s free leaves just two between the teams, with four minutes of added time to go. Then Darragh McCarthy replies. 70 Mins: Waterford 1-23 Tipperary 2-23
63 Mins: Cavan sneaked in front through Paddy Lynch, but O’Neill has a quick response to level things again. Offaly 2-14 Cavan 2-14
65 Mins: Tipperary have a slim lead with five left to go in Walsh Park. Waterford 1-22 Tipperary 2-20
Here are the highlights of a cracking contest in Dr Hyde Park.
A Ronan Wallace goal has finished Westmeath-Limerick as a contest. 62 Mins: Westmeath 4-15 Limerick 3-8
A Ryan Donohoe goal and a Tiarnan Madden two-pointer have levelled things in the Division 2 Offaly-Cavan clash that could have major sway on relegation to Division 3. 55 Mins: Offaly 2-12 Cavan 2-12
Down have pulled in front of Sligo with a goal by Ceilum Doherty. 55 Mins: Sligo 0-19 Down 1-18
Goal for Tipp! They hit the front, as Jake Morris unselfishly feeds Gearoid O’Connor, who strikes it under the onrushing Billy Nolan. Then Halloran levels matters with a free. 59 Mins: Waterford 1-21 Tipperary 2-18
66 Mins: GOAL for Roscommon! Enda Smith palms it home after a brilliant counter-attack. Credit to Shane Cunnane, who played a superb kick pass in behind when he could have kept the ball and played it safe. Roscommon 2-19 Donegal 0-20
65 Mins: Enda Smith makes a brilliant driving run to get in behind a fist a point for the Rossies. Roscommon 1-19 Donegal 0-20
Diarmuid Egan has got what could be a crucial goal for Offaly’s hopes of survival. 44 Mins: Offaly 2-11 Cavan 1-10
62 Mins: Jamie Brennan is the latest point scorer for Donegal, making it a one-point game again. Roscommon 1-18 Donegal 0-19
58 Mins: McGee leaves the minimum between the teams with a pointed effort. Worryingly, Ruaidhri Fallon is off injured for Roscommon. Roscommon 1-17 Donegal 0-19
56 Mins: Enda Smith is stripped of possession, and Donegal get a score through Conor McCahill. Roscommon 1-17 Donegal 0-18
54 Mins: Roarty gets a cracker of a two-pointer, cutting across the ball perfectly. Three in it again. Roscommon 1-17 Donegal 0-17
53 Mins: Roscommon do well to hold onto possession for a couple of minutes. Eventually Conor Hand gets on the ball, and drives it over the bar. They manage two-in-a-row then, thanks to Enda Smith. Roscommon 1-16 Donegal 0-15
48 Mins: Jason McGee chips over a score, leaving a goal between the teams. Then Conor O’Donnell fires one over with the left. Roscommon 1-14 Donegal 0-15
45 Mins: Michael Langan gets a two-pointer for the visitors. The lead looks very modest. Roscommon 1-14 Donegal 0-13
Half-time: Wexford 1-18 Clare 0-6
Waterford 0-4 Antrim 2-13
39 Mins: Colm Neary gets a second point in a row, very stylishly for a corner-back. Roscommon 1-13 Donegal 0-9
32 Mins: A major chance comes and goes for Donegal, as Jason McGee’s low, trickling effort goes just wide. Then another huge chance, but McCahill’s effort is saved brilliantly by Conor O’Carroll. Roscommon 1-13 Donegal 0-3
Seán Moran is at Walsh Park as Waterford-Tipp throws in in Division 1A hurling:
“The Division 1A match in Azzuri Walsh Park, postponed from last week, has big relegation implications. Lose and Waterford drop straight back to Division 1B. Tipperary need the points to ensure that next week’s finale doesn’t turn into a relegation play-off.
The teams are much as named for last week’s original fixture. Peter Hogan comes in for a Waterford team, severely undermined by injuries, in place of Jack Fagan.
Liam Cahill makes two changes to the Tipperary match-day panel. Hurler of the Year John McGrath starts instead of his brother Noel and another All-Ireland medallist Michael Breen returns to action, replacing Brian McGrath in the panel and Darragh McCarthy, who reverts to the bench, in the starting team.
Changeable weather but at present with the crowd gathering, the sun is out.”
24 Mins: Donegal function another goal chance, with O’Donnell bearing in on goal, but it’s well stopped by the Roscommon defence, and Keith Doyle knocks over a two-pointer down the other end afterwards. Roscommon 1-7 Donegal 0-2
Tipperary craft two changes to their starting lineup, with John McGrath and Michael Breen coming in for their clash against Waterford (2pm throw-in).
18 Mins: Senan Lambe nearly breaks the line for a goal chance, but Langan dispossesses him brilliantly. Donegal nearly make a goal chance then, but it’s punched clear by the Rossies. Roscommon 1-5 Donegal 0-2
16 Mins: Diarmuid Murtagh chips over a free that was won through putting great pressure on the Donegal defence. Roscommon 1-5 Donegal 0-2
15 Mins: Conor O’Donnell chips over a good score on his left. From the next kickout he’s taken out from behind, giving Mulreany a two-point chance, but it drops short against the wind. Roscommon 1-4 Donegal 0-2
13 Mins: Goal for Roscommon! Diarmuid Murtagh taps home a ball squared across the face of goal. Very good counter-attack from Roscommon after they turned over O’Donnell. Roscommon 1-4 Donegal 0-2
11 Mins: Daire Cregg has hit wides back-to-back, and he’d be disappointed with both. Donegal are getting good pressure on the Rossies high up the pitch, and on the shooters at the other end. Roscommon 0-4 Donegal 0-2
Half-time: Wexford 1-18 Clare 0-6
Waterford 0-4 Antrim 2-13
6 Mins: The sheets of rain are thankfully gone now. Conor O’Donnell chips over a good score on his left. From the next kickout he’s taken out from behind, giving Mulreany a two-point chance, but it drops short against the wind. Roscommon 0-4 Donegal 0-2
5 Mins: If conditions were hard a minute ago, then they’ve turned biblical now. Donegal keep recycling possession as they can’t get in close enough for a reasonable shot. Eventually, they work a goal chance, but the effort is cleared off the line, and Roscommon boot it up and work it to Smith for a two-pointer. Roscommon 0-4 Donegal 0-1
3 Mins: Donegal reply straight away with a point from Conor McCahill. Roscommon 0-2 Donegal 0-1
1 Min: And we’re underway at the Hyde for Roscommon-Galway. Both teams are playing in their alternate kits. Enda Smith makes an incredible start, kicking a monster of a two-pointer inside 30 seconds. Roscommon 0-2 Donegal 0-0
And Wexford have pulled way in front in their Division 3 promotion clash. 27 Mins: Clare 0-5 Wexford 1-12
A great start for Antrim in Division 4. 25 Mins: Waterford 0-1 Antrim 1-6
Wexford have a very slim lead over Clare in Division 3. 17 Mins: Clare 0-3 Wexford 0-4
And here’s the changes for Roscommon. Niall Higgins, Conor Hand and Eoin McCormack all come in.
Michael Murphy starts for Donegal! That’s one of three changes for the Ulster champions, as Peadar Mogan replaces Paul O’Hare and Max Campbell replaces Jamie Brennan.
10 minutes in at Cusack Park and it’s all level. 10 Mins: Clare 0-2 Wexford 0-2
The first games of the day are just getting underway in Divisions 3 and 4. Clare and Wexford face off, with both vying for promotion to Division 2, while Waterford and Antrim will be trying to add some points after disappointing campaigns in the bottom tier.
After Armagh’s comeback win over the Dubs last night in HQ, it seems a long time since the days of the six-in-a-row and calls for the county to be split up. Kevin McManamon tells Gordon Manning that, even
