Round-up: Allianz HL D2 action
Ronan Walsh continues to impress for Kerry. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division Two
Kerry 2-18 Meath 0-18
Westmeath 2-37 Mayo 1-14
Laois 3-27 London 1-22
Laois and Kerry will contest the 2026 Allianz HurlingLeague Division Two final after the Kingdom took care of business in the big game of the day at Trim, picking up the away win they needed to join the O’Moore County in that decider, securing their spot back up in Division 1B next year for good measure.
Meanwhile, Mayo and Derry have been relegated, with London safe despite losing their final game of the year at home to Laois.
Kerry were the stronger team in the early stages and gave themselves a huge shot in the arm when Ronan Walsh slammed home a penalty after 12 minutes, with Daire Shine black-carded for the offence to heap even more pressure on the heads of the Royal County.
The Royals hurled well to stay in the game however, edging the period Shine was off the field by 0-3 to 0-2 thanks to points from Damien Healy and Seán Doyle.
Back to back frees from Tom Shine cut the gap to two points and Daire Shine missed a goal chance that could have given them the lead.
Kerry hit four points in three minutes, with Pádraig Boyle and Liam Óg O’Connor each scoring within five minutes of coming on subs, to lead by 1-12 to 0-8 and a third quarter goal for Kerry’s Tom Doyle, allied to a red card for Meath’s Damien Healy for his challenge on Kyle O’Connor meant there was little doubt about the result here. The remainder of the game was all about Meath trying to regain momentum ahead of their next competitive fixture, a rematch with Kerry in the Christy Ring Cup next month.
Westmeath needed their neighbours to do them a favour in that game in Trim to get back into the top two spots, and it didn’t take long for their game in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park to be wrapped up, meaning that the handful of Lake County supporters that travelled could turn their focus to events back closer to home.
Six players had scored for Kevin O’Brien’s side by the halfway point in the opening half, by which time Westmeath led 0-11 to 0-2.
Ryan Duffy struck all three Mayo points and Joseph Burke’s flicked goal briefly cut the lead back to single digits, but Westmeath didn’t miss a beat and continued to rack up 0-21 by half-time, captain David Williams and full-forward Darragh McCormack weighing in with 0-10 out of that tally.
McCormack found the net in the 49th minute and fired a penalty over the bar before Peter Clarke added his side’s second goal, but it was becoming clear that their efforts were to be in vain, just like Ryan Duffy’s 0-10 for a Mayo side that had a very faint hope of survival at the start of this game.
At McGovern Park in Ruislip, Fionn Ó Riain Broin hit 0-12 for the home side and Seán Glynn chipped in with 1-2, but goals from Cormac Byrne and Fionn Holland for Laois inside the first three minutes set the tone for a Laois side that went on to score 3-27, led by Byrne (1-6), Aaron Dunphy (0-10) and Gearóid Lynch (1-1).
