Allianz Hurling League results

Division 2A

Offaly 5-25 Down 1-19

Carlow 5-28 Meath 0-17

Kerry 4-30 Wicklow 1-17

Division 2B

Kildare 4-25 Roscommon 0-10

Derry 3-22 Donegal 3-21

Division 3B

Louth 3-16 Fermanagh 0-15

Cavan 1-20 Leitrim 1-17

Offaly secured their return to Division One hurling this afternoon when a strong first quarter against Down at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park gave them a comfortable lead that they never relinquished in what was effectively a promotion decider in Division 2A of the Allianz Hurling league.

The midlanders were off the mark with a goal from Brian Duignan after just 13 seconds of play and three points from Jason Sampson helped them to a 1-8 to 0-3 lead by the water break. Liam Langton got the first of his two goals within three minutes of the restart and Offaly continued to rack up the scores, including goals from Oisín Kelly and Eoghan Cahill, in a 5-25 to 1-19 win.

Carlow exceeded Offaly’s total by posting a 5-28 to 0-17 victory against Meath at Páirc Tailteann, though there was nothing at stake in this fixture following Kerry’s comprehensive 4-30 to 1-17 win over Wicklow yesterday.

Arguably the best game of the day across all divisions was in Ballinascreen, where a late Cormac O’Doherty point meant Derry edged a shootout against Donegal in Division 2B, 3-22 to 3-21.

Goals from Sé McGuigan and Brian Cassidy helped the hosts to a five-point half-time lead, 2-13 to 1-11, but goals for Ciaran Mathewson and Gerry Gilmore for Donegal, either side of a John Mullan major for Derry, set up a grandstand finish in a contest where the result doesn’t really change anything for either side. Kildare and Mayo will still contest promotion, while Derry need to get either a win or a draw against Roscommon next Saturday to be sure of avoiding relegation.

At Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon shared the first six points with Kildare before the wheels came off the home side’s challenge. Jack Sheridan netted twice and David Slattery added another as the Lilies outscored Roscommon by 3-12 to a solitary point in the last 25 minutes of the first half, and Sheridan completed his hat-trick from a free early in the second period en route to a 4-25 to 0-10 win.

Larry McCarthy presented his first trophy since taking the role of Uachtarán CLG this afternoon when he attended Louth’s 3-16 to 0-15 win over Fermanagh at Darver. The Lory Meaghar champions were strong favourites for this tie, but it was still in the balance at the second half water break when Paul Matthews’ two goals were meant the homes side were 2-12 to 0-15 in front. They kicked on in the final quarter, James Costello firing in the third goal on the cusp of full time.

In the final game of the day, Cavan picked up their first win of the year as they beat Leitrim by 1-20 to 1-17 in Carrick-on-Shannon.