Round-up: Weekend's Allianz HL D2 action
Aidan Corby impressed for Laois. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Allianz Hurling League Division Two
Kerry 6-24 Mayo 0-15
Laois 0-28 Meath 0-11
Westmeath 1-20 Derry 3-13
Derry came agonisingly close to keeping their hopes of staying in Division Two of the Allianz League alive with a late rally in Mullingar, but the Oak Leaf County didn’t quite get there despite a heroic effort to reel in Westmeath, meaning that they will drop down to Division Three for 2027 after ending the year with just one win from six games.
Mayo are mathematically not relegated yet, but shipping six goals in Tralee has done their cause no end of harm as they must beat Westmeath on the final day, look for Laois to beat London, and engineer a 41-point turnaround in scoring difference between those two games, if they are to overtake the Exiles.
Laois wrapped up promotion and a home league final with their win, while Kerry are in the driving seat with 58 points extra in scoring difference, so they need to beat Meath to join Laois in the final, or a draw would do if Westmeath fail to beat Mayo.
Meath aren’t without hope, but the odds are stacked against them as they would need to beat Kerry in Trim, but also for Mayo to deny Westmeath victory in Castlebar.
Game of the day in the Division on Sunday was unquestionably at TEG Cusack Park, where Westmeath had the wind in the first half and were the happier team at the interval at 0-15 to 0-6 in front, albeit they were a long way from being out of sight.
Rory Keyes picking up a second yellow card 11 minutes into the second half, but Derry left it late to really catch fire.
Meehaul McGrath scrambled a goal, David Williams replied in kind and then deep in stoppage time Darragh McGilligan raised two green flags to leave Derry one point short of what would have been a momentous result.
In Portlaoise, Tom Shine struck six out of Meath’s seven first half points to help the Royals try to stay in touch against an O’Moore County side that has looked very impressive throughout this league campaign.
Aidan Corby shot three of his four points from play in the opening half as Laois looked that little bit better without ever firing on all cylinders, but within six minutes of the game restarting, Laois had tagged on another five in a row, including a monster score from distance from Lee Cleere, and they were never going to be reeled in.
Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher reprieved his role as super sub with four points as Laois piled on the points, hammering Meath’s morale in advance of that all-important game in Trim in a fortnight.
It was even more one-sided in Tralee where two goals in a minute from Oisín Maunsell and Michael Slattery were followed by another 1-3 in two minutes, Gavin Dooley the goalscorer this time.
That left Kerry 15 points ahead after the first quarter was played and there was no way back for Mayo from there. Maunsell, Dooley and Colin Walsh added the rest of the green flags, while Shane Boland (0-5), Cormac Phillips (0-6) and Daniel Huane (0-3) did most of the scoring for Mayo.
