Round-up: Saturday's Allianz FL D3 and D4 action
Fermanagh's Darragh McGurn. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Three
Fermanagh 2-13 Laois 1-14
Allianz Football League Division Four
London 1-20 Carlow 0-18
Fermanagh gathered up their first points of the campaign, but they were made to sweat for it by 14-man Laois.
Laois had Robert Tyrell sent off in the closing stages of the first half, but they still came agonisingly close to grabbing a draw against Declan Bonner’s side, only to see a late two-point effort go wide.
The Enniskillen defeat all but ended Laois’ promotion hopes. They are, however, sitting on five points and should be safe from relegation.
But the same can’t be said of Fermanagh, and if Sligo win or draw at home to Down tomorrow (Sunday), the Erne men are heading to Division Four.
Even if Sligo are defeated and lose their last game (at home to Clare) and Fermanagh join them on four points with a win in Limerick, Sligo will still have Fermanagh on the head-to-head.
Fermanagh’s goals came from Darragh McGurn and Luke Flanagan, while Laois’ major came after Evan O’Carroll’s shot hit the post and rebounded into the net off a home player.
Elsewhere, London put a major dent in Carlow's promotion hopes to make it back-to-back defeats for Joe Murphy’s side.
Carlow had won their opening four games and were streaking away at the top, but now they’ll almost certainly have to win their final game, which is at home to Leitrim next weekend.
That's three wins and a draw from six games for London, as they move onto seven points, level with Longford and just one behind Carlow and enter the promotion race.
Michael Maher’s men are enjoying their best ever league campaign and have their highest points tally, with the win over Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park fuelled by the scoring power of Ciaran Diver and Liam Gallagher.
Diver hit 0-5 from play, while Gallagher shot 0-4 from play with Liam Murphy grabbing the all important 63rd minute goal to give London a five point lead and breathing space.
Joe McGill and Shay Rafter also hit 0-4 apiece, with both men scoring two from play and two from frees.
A win over Antrim next weekend at Toomebridge would put the Exiles bang in the hunt for Division Three football in 2027.
