National Hurling League
Division One Group A
Wexford 1-22 Offaly 2-12
THE Yellowbellies made it four wins from four in Division One with a scrappy victory over Offaly at Wexford Park.
Offaly were in contention throughout and, when free-taker Luke O’Connor handed them the lead for a fifth time on 55 minutes, it looked as if they might nick their first points of the campaign. But the home side then took control, with substitutes Conal Flood and teenager Corey Byrne-Dunbar contributing as Wexford registered 10 of the game’s last 12 points.
Cork 1-26 Galway 0-23
PATRICK Horgan hit 1-13 for Cork as they booked their place in the league semi-finals with a comfortable victory over Galway at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Horgan netted the game’s only goal on 27 minutes after the Galway defence got turned over in front of their own posts and the Rebels went on to lead by five at half-time, 1-13 to 0-11. Ronan Glennon, Tom Monaghan and Conor Whelan pulled back points for the Tribe, but Horgan stemmed the tide with another free as Cork’s lead never dipped below four throughout the second-half.
Clare 0-18 Limerick 0-18
THE All-Ireland champions got their first point of the campaign in a thrilling game with Clare at Cusack Park.
Limerick shaded the first-half and points from Aaron Gillane, Diarmaid Byrnes, Gearóid Hegarty and Cathal O'Neill gave them a 0-11 to 0-9 interval lead. However, Clare were always in the game, with Tony Kelly striking 0-11 and debutant Robin Mounsey brilliantly firing over a sideline cut to level after the break
Gillane was given his marching orders on 65 minutes, while Clare’s Jack Browne was also sent-off for a separate off-the-ball incident. Ryan Taylor had a golden opportunity to put Clare three points up heading into six-minutes of injury-time, but his shot on goal was expertly saved by Nickie Quaid.
This set the stage for substitute David Reidy to land a late leveller for Limerick and, while Byrnes had the chance to nick victory shortly after, his long-range effort sailed wide.
Division One Group B
Dublin 0-16 Kilkenny 2-23
KILKENNY inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on Dublin at Parnell Park and put themselves in pole position for a league semi-final spot.
Walter Walsh and Martin Keoghan got the goals as the Cats led all the way from the third minute, with 10 players registering scores for Brian Cody's side.
For Mattie Kenny and Dublin, the heavy loss ended a seven-game unbeaten run since the start of the Walsh Cup, though they can still make the league knockout phase.
Waterford 1-27 Tipperary 0-21
WITH Séamus Callanan missing with a broken bone in his hand, Tipperary fell to defeat to Waterford at Walsh Park.
Stephen Bennett was the star of the show for the Déise, scoring 1-16 for Liam Cahill’s men as they cemented their place at the top of Group B.
Playing into the wind, Tipp raced 0-7 to 0-2 clear inside the opening 15 minutes, with Michael Breen and Mark Kehoe pointing the way. But Waterford then hit an unanswered 1-4 to lead by 1-13 to 0-14 at the break.
Tipp trailed by just two points at the third-quarter mark, but Colm Bonnar's side wouldn't score for a further 20 minutes as Waterford lifted their intensity.
Division 2A
Kerry 2-31 Meath 0-14
KERRY all but secured their place in the Division 2A final with a thumping victory over Meath at Austin Stack Park. Michael Leane and Shane Nolan got the goals for the Kingdom as they racked up a 23-point winning margin.
Kildare 2-14 Carlow 0-20
KILDARE and Carlow couldn’t be separated in Newbridge as both sides did their hopes of survival no harm. The Lilywhites had fought back from a 0-12 to 0-7 half-time deficit to the brink of victory but a skilful sideline cut from Chris Nolan five minutes into injury-time rescued a point for the Barrowsiders.
Division 2B
London 3-16 Wicklow 1-9
THE Exiles kept their promotion hopes alive thanks to victory at Ruislip while Wicklow are staring down the barrel of a second relegation in quick succession. Fiachra O’Keefe and Cian Lordan were among the goals for London.
Mayo 0-19 Sligo 4-13
MAYO are also in danger of relegation following their defeat to Sligo in Ballina. Gerard O’Kelly Lynch, Eoin Comerford and Tony O’Kelly Lynch did the damage in front of the posts for the Yeats men.
Division 3A
Warwickshire 3-13 Louth 1-19
WARWICKSHIRE and Louth each got their first point of the campaign thanks to a draw in Birmingham’s Páirc na hÉireann. A Paul Matthews goal and points from Conor Deane and Seanie Crosby had helped Louth into a lead but a last gasp goal from Warwickshire ensured the spoils were shared.
Division 3B
Fermanagh 2-22 Lancashire 0-9
FERMANAGH went clear at the top of Division 3B thanks to a big win over Lancashire at Darver. Conor McShea and Eoin Cleary grabbed the goals for the Erne men in the second-half, but the early departure of Danny Teague through injury will worry manager Joe Baldwin.
Longford 1-15 Leitrim 1-14
REUBEN Murray fired over a last-ditch point at Pearse Park to steal victory for Longford and condemn Leitrim to their first defeat of the season.
