Limerick senior football team manager Jimmy Lee. Photo by Tom Beary/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Four
Tipperary 1-14 (1-1-12) Waterford 0-9 (0-0-9)
Wexford 2-12 (2-1-10) Carlow 0-9 (0-2-5)
Limerick 1-16 (1-1-14) London 0-11 (0-1-9)
Wicklow 2-15 (2-2-11) Longford 0-12 (0-1-10)
Wexford remain ahead of the chasing pack in Division Four of the Allianz League after they brushed aside the challenge of Carlow at Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2-12 to 0-9, in the only Allianz League Division Four game that was played on Saturday evening.
Seán ‘Mini’ Ryan got the first of his two goals after 15 minutes, doubling Wexford’s lead after points from Ryan, Kevin O’Grady and Glen Malone made it 0-3 to 0-0.
There were 25 minutes gone before Darragh O’Brien finally got Carlow off the mark with a free, and a save from Wexford goalkeeper Darragh Brooks to deny Ross Dunphy just before half-time left the Model County 1-8 to 0-3 in front by the interval.
Wexford had been prolific in their first two games, but their scoring slowed down after the interval, with just four points added to Ryan’s second goal, scored in the 57th minute when Glen Malone’s shot came back into play off the post.
A straight red card for Carlow captain Mikey Bambrick in stoppage time crowned a disappointing night for the visitors'.
Tipperary pulled to within a point of the Model County with a similarly comfortable win over Waterford this afternoon at Walsh Park, a contest that was originally meant to be played last night in Fraher Field.
An early injury to team captain Steven O’Brien was a blow to Philly Ryan’s side, but Seán O’Connor stepped up with a dynamic display, firing 1-10 in all, 1-6 from play, as they moved through the gears in the second half.
Jamie Walsh with three points and Alan Dunwoody with two were central to Waterford holding their own early on, but a mere two points in the second half illustrated their issues up front.
Limerick made a dream start in their away fixture at Ruislip, hitting the net through Andrew Meade in the first minute. But Ciarán Diver pointed and Patrick Dolan followed up from outside the arc to level the game.
Again Limerick rallied to lead by five, with Tony McCarthy and Iain Corbett adding two points each, but London had another kick in them too and by half time it was on a knife edge, 1-6 to 0-8.
The second half was a completely different story however, as Limerick kicked things off with an Emmet Rigter two-pointer, then once again were pulled back to just one point up, before comprehensively outplaying their hosts in the final quarter, rattling off seven points in succession.
Wicklow’s trip to Wexford next weekend already looks like a huge battle in the promotion race after Wicklow were easily the better side against Longford in Aughrim.
Just a couple of points (0-5 to 0-3) were between the sides when Longford goalkeeper Paddy Collum, making his 100th league and championship appearance for the Shannonsiders, saved an Eoin Darcy penalty in the 24th minute.
Luck wasn’t on the side of the centurion however as Christopher O’Brien pounced on the rebound find the net, and that lead was out to seven points (1-10 to 0-6) by half-time.
Joe Prendergast hit a second goal for Wicklow 10 minutes into the second half and the lead was out to 13 points at one stage before Longford rallied, picking off points from open play from Dessie Reynolds, Aaron Farrell, Iarla O’Sullivan, and Jayson Mathews.
