NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE
Division One Group A
Cork 2-30 Clare 2-21
A SCORING blitz either side of half-time proved enough for Cork to overcome Clare at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night.
A goal from Mark Rodgers had edged Clare 0-9 to 1-9 ahead midway through the first-half, but Cork then outscored their stunned visitors by 1-12 to 0-0 over the next 20 minutes, Tim O'Mahony grabbing the major.
When substitute Luke Meade struck for the Rebels’ second goal in the 34th minute, Clare were as good as beat. Shane Kingston top scored with nine points for Cork, as captain Mark Coleman (0-5) and Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-4) also impressed.
Rodgers was the Banner’s best performer, with 1-5 to his name, but not even a late goal from Domhnall McMahon could take the shine off a resounding Cork win.
Wexford 1-11 Limerick 0-11
THE Yellowbellies caused something of a shock at Wexford Park yesterday afternoon by claiming the scalp of All-Ireland champions Limerick.
The Treaty fielded nine of last August’s All-Ireland final winners from the start, but took a battering in stormy conditions before falling to their first competitive defeat in nine outings.
Despite some particularly poor first-half shooting, racking up no less than 10 wides, Limerick went in at the break with a 0-7 to 0-6 advantage.
But Wexford knew they had Limerick’s number and when Mikie Dwyer collected a free from Jack O'Connor to strike for a 59th minute goal to open up a 1-9 to 0-11 lead, they never looked back.
Galway 4-22 Offaly 0-17
GALWAY cantered to a comfortable victory over Offaly at Pearse Stadium yesterday afternoon.
Despite playing with the wind in the first-half, Michael Fennelly’s visitors went in at half-time 1-12 to 0-8 in arrears and it was only going to get worse from there on in.
When John Fleming got Galway’s second goal five minutes after the restart, the game was as good as done. Evan Niland grabbed the Tribe’s third major after good work by Fleming while Donal O’Shea struck for the fourth.
Division One Group B
Laois 1-14 Tipperary 0-21
TIPPERARY were made to work hard at O’Moore Park but ultimately prevailed against 14-man Laois.
Conditions were hardly conducive to high-quality hurling in the first-half as Colm Bonnar’s men took a 0-11 to 0-7 lead into the break. Jason Forde notched up 0-11 for the winners, with the Silvermines clubman ably assisted by Mark Kehoe (0-4) and Jake Morris (0-3).
Laois played most of the second-half with 14 men due to Paddy Purcell's dismissal for an off-the-ball strike on Craig Morgan but refused to throw in the towel in a battling performance.
Dublin 0-21 Waterford 2-15
DUBLIN and Waterford played out an entertaining draw at Parnell Park yesterday, in a game that saw two red cards, two black cards, 14 yellows and two penalties.
Both penalties were awarded to Waterford and converted by full-forward Stephen Bennett, who finished with 2-9 of the Déise total.
Eoghan O’Donnell was among Dublin’s star performers and they will be reasonably pleased with the draw, although they did miss two late chances to take both points.
Division 2A
Kildare 0-15 Meath 0-18
MEATH got their league campaign up and running with an opening day win over Kildare in Newbridge yesterday lunchtime.
Westmeath 3-15 Kerry 1-15
FIRST-HALF goals from Niall Mitchell and a Jack Gillen penalty helped Westmeath to overcome Kerry in Mullingar. When Gillen grabbed his second goal in the 38th minute, the Kingdom faced a mountain that was too much to climb.
Division 2B
Donegal 3-16 London 0-8
DONEGAL eventually had simply far too much power and panache for a badly outgunned London side in icy conditions in O’Donnell Park, writes Gerry McLaughlin.
Donegal welcomed back two of their talismans as Danny Cullen and his brother-in-law Declan Counter started in central slots on a slithery sod. And they did not disappoint as their vast experience and hurling nous was a big factor in this facile victory.
Goals from Josh Cronnolly McGee and two late strikes from top scoring full-forward Ritchie Ryan put real daylight between the sides in very treacherous conditions.
London stayed with the favourites for the opening 20 minutes and had some sound performers in Ronan Crowley and Mark O’Dwyer, but they lacked fitness and were always struggling when the winners turned over with a strong breeze in the second-half after going in ahead by 1-8 to 0-4 at the break.
It took the winners a while to settle against a wasteful London side who hit nine wides in the opening 20 minutes. London had a considerable breeze and a brighter start and eased into a 0-2 to 0-0 lead by the sixth minute from O’Dwyer and Crowley. But that was as good as it got for the Exiles as Donegal gradually settled.
A three-minute scoring spree from marksman Ryan and the excellent Davin Flynn edged Donegal in front as they gradually asserted themselves. Flynn, Ryan and the powerful Cronolly McGee were all on target.
London continued to be very wasteful before Cronolly McGee hit a cracking goal for Donegal in the 32nd minute. The Setanta man rounded his man before smashing home a great goal to leave the home side leading by seven at the break.
Donegal had the breeze in the second-half, but scores were scarce in trying conditions. London relied on sporadic raids, inspired by Crowley. Ryan hit two late goals, Cullen was imperious at the back and Flynn showed all his ash artistry up front.
Donegal: L White; G Browne, S Gillespie, P Doherty; C O’Grady, M O’Donoghue, S McVeigh; D Coulter, D Cullen; G Gilmore, R McDermott, B Lafferty; J Cronolly McGee (0-1) R Ryan (3-8,7f) D Flynn (0-6) Subs; M Callaghan for P Doherty (57), C Gartland and D O’Maoileidigh for B Lafferty and J Cronnolly/McGee (64), D Harvey for D Cullen and C Doherty for R McDermott (70).
London: P Collins; D Hopkins, P Muldoon, B McCarthy; P English, D Bruen, W Brazil; F Collins (0-2), D Hannon (0-1f); M Flannery, F O’Keeffe, J Goulding; B McCarry (0-2f), M O’Dwyer (0-1) R Crowley (0-2). Subs; C McCormack for M Flannery (15), I Dwyer for Brazil (h-time), R Lombard for B McCarry (55), F Byrne for F O’Keeffe (67), L Hayes for M O’Dwyer (70)
Referee: T Conway (Derry)
Derry 2-14 Sligo 1-14
DERRY got their league campaign off to a perfect start with a battling win over Sligo at Celtic Park on Saturday.
The Yeats men started the brighter of the two sides and led by a point at half-time, with goals from Gerald Bradley and Tiarnán McHugh keeping Derry in touch.
The Oak Leafs came into their own in the second-half, with the accurate free-taking of Slaughtneil’s Cormac O'Doherty getting them over the line.
Mayo 2-15 Wicklow 2-15
A LATE Mayo comeback earned them a draw in Ballina yesterday afternoon. The Garden county had trailed by four going into the home stretch, but a John Toomey goal helped them to claim a point.
Division 3A
Armagh 2-16 Louth 3-12
ARMAGH did just about enough to get past a competitive Louth side at the Athletic Grounds.
Eoin McGuinness came up with both goals for the Orchard county as they came from seven points down to earn an opening day victory.
Warwickshire 2-8 Monaghan 1-12
A LATE Monaghan surge, which included points from Ciarán Guinan, Paddy Finnegan and James Slevin, helped them claim maximum points against Warwickshire in Birmingham yesterday.
Division 3B
Fermanagh 1-20 Cavan 0-13
IT WAS a repeat of last year’s Lory Meagher Cup final between the Ulster neighbours as Joe Baldwin’s men ran out 10-point winners in Brewster Park. Francis McBrien got the goal for Fermanagh while Ryan Bogue was excellent from dead balls.
Lancashire 2-8 Leitrim 4-16
LANCASHIRE were well beaten by the Connacht men in Abbotstown yesterday.
