Round-up: Allianz FL D4 action
Antrim senior football team manager Mark Doran. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Four
Sunday
London 3-16 Waterford 2-13
Longford 1-19 Carlow 1-14
Tipperary 1-19 Leitrim 0-8
Saturday
Antrim 2-18 Wicklow 1-14
Longford blew the Allianz Division Four football promotion race wide open with a five-point win over table toppers Carlow at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Mike Solan’s men moved into second place, one point behind Carlow and one point clear of Wicklow in the hunt for the two promotion places on offer.
Impressive Carlow had full points from their four games to date going into this one, and although Chris Blake found the net for the visitors, a 64th minute James Moran goal was crucial.
Moran’s goal sent Longford three points clear and a free from Dylan Farrell and another from play from Moran sealed the win.
Substitute Moran, who only came in on 50 minutes finished with 1-2 from play. Longford are away to Leitrim and at home to Wicklow in their remaining fixtures with the latter a potential promotion decider.
Elsewhere, Tipperary went joint third alongside Wicklow on six points after a comfortable 14-point victory over Leitrim at Clonmel.
Sean O’Connor got their goal on 26 minutes after good work from Stephen O’Brien and Daithi Hogan. Leitrim two-pointers from Keith Keegan and Oisin McLoughlin kept them in touch in the first half, but the home side took control.
Stephen O’Brien hit a brace of two pointers, one from play and one from a free as Tipp ran out impressive winners.
Leitrim’s defeat leaves them still on four points and even two wins out of two in their remaining games probably won’t be enough for promotion.
In the other Division Four game, Waterford fell to a fifth successive defeat, losing out by six points to London at Ruislip.
London hit all of their 3-16 from play with Jim Davis (1-4) top scoring, closely followed by Joe Diver (1-3), Joe McGill (0-5), Michael O’Reilly (1-0) and Shay Rafter (0-3).
It was London’s second victory in five games. Their remaining ties are away to Carlow and Antrim.
Antrim made it back to back wins at Casements Portglenone on Saturday evening as they put a major dent in Wicklow’s promotion hopes.
Oisin McConville’s Wicklow were under the cosh early on when Pat Shivers fisted a goal and Antrim never looked back as they ran out convincing seven point winners.
Late two pointers from Christopher O’Brien (play) and goalie Mark Jackson (free) put a better look on the scoreline for Wicklow, with Antrim leading by 11 points at one stage.
Padraig O’Toole got their goal on 39 minutes with Antrim’s 12 point lead cut to nine.
Most of the damage was done in the first half with Shivers’ early goal and another from Ryan McQuillan after 23 minutes.
Two pointers from Dominic McEnhill (2) and Shivers were other key scores as Mark Doran’s Saffrons moved up through the gears after last weekend’s victory in Leitrim.
