Round-up: Allianz HL D4 action
Sligo defeated Longford in the Allianz Hurling League. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division Four
Sligo 4-25 Longford 3-11
Cavan 1-16 Monaghan 0-15
Warwickshire 1-17 Lancashire 2-12
The only matter of consequence still to be resolved on the final day of games in Division Four of the Allianz Hurling League was the question of where the final between Longford and Sligo will be played – and the emphatic answer to that question is a Sligo venue after they racked up a comprehensive 17-point win in the round robin game between the sides at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
Longford had the goal-den touch in the early stages of this game, raising all three of their green flags inside the first 15 minutes. Joe Rabbitt landed the first in between Sligo points from Robert O’Kelly Lynch and Andrew Kilcullen, then two in five minutes from Michael Mulcahy left the scoreboard reading 3-2 to 0-6.
Sligo always found it that bit easier to engineer scoring chances in pleasant but breezy conditions, but with Cathal Mullane scoring a couple of points and Adam Quinn landing a fine strike from distance, Longford kept their noses in front until Andrew Kilcullen’s goal in the 35th minute sent the teams into the dressing rooms all square at 3-7 to 1-13.
Robert O’Kelly Lynch had three points in the first half but the youngest of the famous five brothers from the Naomh Eoin club added a goal to his tally in the 44th minute and that was the signal for the floodgates to open. He ended the game with 1-5, Andrew Kilcullen hit 3-9 (3-5 from play) while Eddie O’Donoghue lofted over four from centre forward in what turned out to be a facile win.
Local bragging rights were the main prize at stake in Kingspan Breffni for the meeting of Cavan and Monaghan, where Mark Moffett’s first half goal, three points from wing forward Jack McGuinness and two late scores from Seán Keating off the bench ensured it was the home side who picked up the win.
Niall Arthur shot 0-10 for the Farney men, who will be happy to draw a line under a disappointing league campaign that featured just one win in six games.
There was also a local derby at Páirc na hÉireann, where Warwickshire had two points to spare against Lancashire.
