Important games took place in the Allianz Hurling League. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division Two
Kildare 2-28 Kerry 0-17
Down 2-26 Derry 0-13
Owenbeg was the clash between Derry and Down, two counties that picked up wins in the first round of games in Division Two of the Allianz Hurling League, and there was no doubt about the favourites for promotion by the time Colum Cunning’s final whistle confirmed a 19-point win for the visiting Mourne men.
Tom McGrattan shot 0-9 out of his eventual tally of 0-15 (0-7 from play) in the first half as Down racked up an 0-14 to 0-7 interval lead, and they also raised the first seven flags of the second half, including the game’s two goals.
Tim Prenter was on the mark with the first after his sharp run opened up the Derry defence with just two minutes played after the restart, and Eoghan Sands shortly added their second.
A Kildare side smarting from last week’s defeat in Ballycran had too much power for an inexperienced Kerry team at Cedral St. Conleth’s Park this afternoon, where Brian Dowling’s Lily Whites hit the net through Cathal Dowling in the fifth minute and never looked back.
Kerry manager John Griffin started with six debutants and introduced three more off the bench and while there were bright spots for the Kingdom, particularly when they rallied midway through the first half to cut a six-point lead back to three, Kildare always had more physical and scoring power at their disposal.
1-7 to 0-7 after 25 minutes became 1-14 to 0-8 at half-time, and while Kerry started the second half brightly with a point from Rory O’Mahony and another from substitute Seánie Buckley on the Dr. Crokes’ player’s first possession, the second goal of the game – scored by David Qualter after Louis Dee deflected Muiris Curtin’s shot – killed off their resistance.
Qualter ended the game with 1-12 while 11 other Kildare players got on the scoresheet, while Shane Conway scored 0-11 on his return to action for Kerry.
Allianz Hurling League Division Three
London 1-18 Wicklow 1-17
Cavan 1-17 Sligo 1-12
London corner-forward Dylan Dawson popped up with the winning score four minutes into stoppage time at Echelon Park in Aughrim, confirming the Exiles’ place on top of the Division Three table tonight with two games played.
Warren Kavanagh and Seánie Germaine scored the first two points of the game for the home side but London went on a run of 1-3 unanswered in reply, with David Devine scoring their goal after nine minutes.
That was the only time there was ever more than a score between the teams as Pádraig Doyle hit back with Wicklow’s goal a minute later, and while London briefly moved three clear again, even that was short-lived. By the final quarter the contest was point-for-point, with London taking the lead twice and then conceding the next score, only for Germaine to shoot Wicklow in front going into the last minute of normal time.
There was still enough stoppage time however for Devine to bring his tally to 1-4 with an equalising free, and for Dawson’s fourth of the contest to secure the away win.
The other contest in this Division today was at Kingspan Breffni, where Cavan were five-point victors over Sligo.
Shane Briody’s black card with 25 minutes played allowed Sligo to score a quickfire 1-1, their goal from Andrew Kilcullen, to level the game at 0-8 to 1-5 approaching half-time.
Three Liam O’Brien points restored Cavan’s advantage before the interval and when Canice Maher hit 1-1 for Cavan in the space of 60 seconds early in the second-half, the home side were in control.
Allianz Hurling League Division Four
Louth 2-24 Monaghan 0-12
Louth were comfortably the better team throughout their local derby clash with Monaghan at Dowdallshill this afternoon, but it was only in the second half that it showed on the scoreboard.
Monaghan had only two scorers in the game – Niall Arthur and Eithan Flynn – and nine of their 12 points came from placed balls. Louth could have been out of sight by half-timeas they were awarded two penalties, but Darren Geoghegan hit the post with one, while Hugh Byrne saved the second.
There was to be no reprieves in the second half, as Geoghegan went on to score 0-10 (0-4 from play) while Peter Fortune and Sam Phelan scored goals for the dominant home side.
