London and Meath in driving seat as Bandon's Crowley runs amok for Exiles 

Bandon native Ronan Crowley struck 2-13 in London’s 2-22 to 0-21 victory over Mayo.

ACE: Ronan Crowley in action.

London and Meath are in the driving seat in the race for Christy Ring Cup final places, as Meath came up trumps with a huge win in Derry while Ronan Crowley struck 2-13 in London’s 2-22 to 0-21 victory over Mayo at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.

London never trailed in this contest as they powered 1-2 to no score in front after five minutes. The Bandon native, who won a Munster minor medal with Cork 15 years ago, grabbed his second goal after 25 minutes as London led 2-12 to 0-12 at the break.

The Exiles enjoyed a strong start to the final period as Crowley continued to run amok. Fergal Boland (0-5) and Joseph McManus (0-10, 0-8f, 0-1 65) led the charge for Mayo, but they never looked like overturning London’s lead.

On Saturday, Nicky Potterton’s 58th-minute goal was the decisive score in Meath’s 1-21 to 1-19 win over Derry.

Despite James Toher’s red card on the half-hour, Meath led by 0-14 to 0-10 at half-time, but the Oak Leafers were odds on to secure victory when they plundered 1-2 without reply at the start of the final period, Cormac O’Doherty blasting home from the penalty spot. 

Meath dug in however a Jack Regan score tied the contest up before Potterton’s decisive strike.

Finally, in Carrickmore, Andrew Kilcullen grabbed the winning point in the eighth minute of injury time as Sligo secured a dramatic 0-20 to 1-16 win over Tyrone. 

Tyrone appeared to have secured a share of the spoils when Chris Kearns buried to the net to tie the game at 1-14 to 0-17, and even though Sligo edged in front once more, Lorcan Devlin fired over in injury time as Tyrone appeared to have held on.

In the Nickey Rackard Cup, it will take a huge upset for anything to prevent a Wicklow vs Donegal final. 

Wicklow picked up their third win from as many games as they secured a 3-28 to 3-8 win over Armagh, coming back from the concession of early goals to Tomás Galvin and Fionntán Donnelly to lead by 2-11 to 3-4 at half time, before moving through the gears in the second half.

Donegal grabbed an impressive 2-25 to 2-16 win over Roscommon in Athleague. 

Ronan McDermott’s first-half goal was the difference between the sides at the break, while Galvin Browne and Gerry Gilmore helped Donegal into a seven-point lead early in the final period. 

Sean Ward grabbed Donegal’s second major in the 54th minute as the winners streaked 13 points clear, though Roscommon struck late goals through Mickey Joe Egan and Naos Connaughton.

In Darver, Louth and Fermanagh played out an entertaining 3-17 to 3-17 draw, with a late Luca McCusker free for Fermanagh ensuring both teams picked up their first points of the campaign.

In the Lory Meaghar Cup, goals from Nicholas Kenny, Sean Keating and Mark Moffett helped Cavan secure an impressive 3-29 to 5-9 victory over Lancashire, while neighbours Monaghan produced an impressive 2-27 to 1-4 dismantling of Warwickshire. 

A Thomas Hughes goal set the winners on their way in the sixth minute and they never looked back.

Finally, Longford secured a 0-12 to 0-8 win over Leitrim. Six points from Cathal Mullane did the damage for the winners, with David Buckley firing over three scores while Paddy Lynam added a brace.