Rossies' bleak year continues with relegation from Christy Ring

Sligo struck late to doom Roscommon to drop

Dr Hyde Park

Roscommon supporters will hope to never endure a year like 2021 again after their hurlers suffered relegation from the Christy Ring Cup in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon, meaning that their two county teams ended the year without a win in league or championship.

The home side looked set fair for victory at Dr. Hyde Park when county footballer Niall Kilroy fired in a goal to move them four points clear of Sligo early in the second half. A red card for James Weir further hampered Sligo but they stayed in touch and even drew level thanks to a goal from Mark Hanniffy just before the water break. 

Points from Michael Brennan and Cathal Kenny seemed to give Roscommon a decisive lead, but in the seventh minute of stoppage time a 50 metre free from Gerard O’Kelly Lynch was floated into the Roscommon square and Hanniffy got a subtle touch to deflect the sliothar to the net and secure a 2-18 to 1-20 victory.

It was a much more straightforward affair at Kingspan Breffni where Armagh ran riot against Leitrim, with Danny Magee scoring five goals in their 7-25 to 1-21 win in the Nickey Rackard Cup. Petey McKearney and Paddy McBride also found the net for Armagh. A Diarmuid Kelleher goal for Leitrim saw them only trail by four approaching half-time (1-7 to 0-14) but two Magee goals swung this game firmly in Armagh’s favour. Armagh were always able to keep their opponents at arm's length and when Magee completed his hat-trick in the 39th minute, the game was over as a contest.

In the Lory Meagher Cup, Fermanagh set up a semi-final clash with Longford next week when they overcame Monaghan by 3-15 to 4-6 at Brewster Park.

The game was finely poised, level going into the last quarter, when a quickfire 1-1 from Caolan Mooney and some outstanding points from Sean Corrigan gave Fermanagh enough of an advantage to withstand Fergal Rafter’s late goal for Monaghan.