Weekend Allianz Hurling League Division 3 Fixtures/Results

ROINN 3A

Roscommon 2-20 Armagh 0-6

Louth 0-19 Fermanagh 1-15

Mayo 5-25 Monaghan 0-13

Roscommon made a bright start to today’s Allianz League Division 3A clash at Dr. Hyde Park, moving 0-5 to 0-2 in front with just 11 minutes gone, and once Armagh corner back Barry Short received a red card in the 12th minute, the Rossies powered on to record a comfortable win that puts them firmly back in the driving seat in the race for promotion.

Inagh-Kilnamona man Eoin Fitzgerald was the star of the show in the opening half, popping two excellent points and getting on a huge amount of ball in the middle third of the field, while Naos Connaughton also made a tremendous impact up front in his first start of the year, both as a primary receiver of the ball and as a distributor, bringing other Roscommon attackers into the game around him.

Three well-struck long-range points from Eamon Flanagan helped Roscommon to lead by 0-14 to 0-3 at half-time, and they got off to a perfect start in the second half too, with Connaughton sweeping home a goal from close range after Conor Mulry’s initial effort was blocked. At the end of a drab second half where neither side really got any fluency going, he also turned provider for the second Roscommon goal, setting up a simple finish for Mulry. 

In a Division where there is a myriad of possible outcomes after next weekend’s final round of games, Louth’s one-point win over Fermanagh keeps them in the hunt for promotion in advance of next weekend’s showdown with Mayo.

Late points in stoppage time from Liam Molloy and substitute Stephen Stafford were enough to edge the reigning Lory Meagher Cup winners over the line, though it was the scoring of Seán Kerrisk and Darren Geoghegan that helped them keep their noses in front through most of the game.

A goal from Aidan Flanagan set up the dramatic finale at Darver and JP McGarry got the Erne County back on level terms, but they weren’t able to hold on. 

It was all plain sailing at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, where the return of the Tooreen contingent to action for Mayo saw the Westerners transformed. This was a top versus bottom clash, but it was Mayo, who are still in relegation trouble, who dominated. Jason Coyne, Eoin Delaney, Sean Kenny and Adrian Phillips got first half goals for the rampant home side, with Daniel Huane adding a fifth after the interval.

ROINN 3B

Cavan 0-21 Leitrim 2-11

Longford 0-18 Lancashire 0-10

In Division 3B, Canice Maher shot ten points for Cavan at Kingspan Breffni while new recruit Nicky Kenny from Cuala added three points from midfield in the home side’s four point win over Leitrim, which is enough to guarantee that they will play some role in the promotion playoffs, either in a semi-final or final.

Maher and Carney opened the scoring as Cavan started hot and kept that pace going, even after conceding a goal to Stephen Goldrick after 22 minutes. Leitrim had the wind in the second half, which they started seven points adrift, but a second yellow card for Conor Beirne made their comeback impossible, and they were well-beaten by the time Peter Poniard scored the game’s second goal in stoppage time.

 Longford will also contest the league knockout stages after their strong defensive showing, not to a mention a stunning save from Pat Burke to deny Shane Madden a goal after 26 minutes, backboned their home win over Lancashire.

Reuben Murray, Paddy Lynam and Cathal Mullane contributed 14 out of Longford’s 18 points, and there was no real bite to the finish of the game as Conor Kennedy was dismissed by referee Conor Daly with just 12 minutes of the second half, leading to predictable, pedestrian conclusion.