Carlow book rematch with Faithful in Joe McDonagh Cup final

Carlow and Offaly will meet again at GAA HQ in two weeks' time. 

Carlow will join Offaly in the Joe McDonagh Cup final as they handed their understrength final opponents a heavy defeat in advance of their rematch at Croke Park in a fortnight.

Carlow dominated an understrength Faithful County from start to finish, leading by 0-9 to 0-1 after 15 minutes and 0-16 to 0-6 at the break. Five Martin Kavanagh frees helped them on their way, and they showed a ruthless streak to keep Offaly at arm’s length. Conor Kehoe’s third quarter goal rubber-stamped 1-29 to 0-14 win.

At the other end of the table, Down ensured their survival and relegated Kildare to the Christy Ring Cup by prevailing in their showdown at Hawkfield, 1-27 to 3-13.

Down surged 0-9 to 0-3 in front before Declan Flaherty found the net for a chronically out-of-form Kildare side. Two Pearse Óg McCrickard points helped Down lead 0-15 to 1-6 at half time. A Paddy McKenna goal helped Kildare cut their deficit to three but they never got any closer as 1-3 without reply from the winners, with the goal coming from Eoghan Sands, saw Down secure their status.

In the Christy Ring Cup, Sligo and Meath remain in the driving seat, while Derry are still alive after finishing strong to overcome London in Ruislip yesterday.

Despite eight players finding the target in the opening half, Tyrone trailed by two at the break against Meath and got the first point of the second half through Seán Duffin, but that was as close as they got, with Jack Regan grabbing some key scores for Meath. Sean Óg Grogan pulled Tyrone to within three after 62 minutes but Meath fired six of the last seven scores to prevail, 0-28 to 0-20.

Despite seeing Joe McHugh sent off and trailing by three points at half time, Sligo ground out a 2-26 to 1-23 win over Mayo at Markievicz Park. Andrew Kilcullen, Diarmuid Hanniffy and Tomás Cawley points pushed them seven clear before Kilcullen netted, adding to his first half penalty.

In Ruislip, Derry edged in front early on as a Segdae Melaugh goal and Meehaul McGrath point cancelling out London’s first scores. Seán Glynn (two), Conor McCormack and Daithí Barron all goaled for London, but Derry scored five of the last six points to win by 1-30 to 4-19.

In the Nickey Rackard Cup, Donegal’s clash with Wicklow next week will be a dead rubber, after both sides wrapped up their final place with a win on Saturday.

Donegal beat Louth by 2-19 to 4-7, with their goals coming from Ronan McDermott goal and Rúairí Campbell, though it came at a cost as star forward Declan Coulter sustained a worrying hand injury.

Wicklow made light work of Roscommon in Aughrim, racking up a 5-23 to 2-12 win. Goals from Jack Doyle and Luke Evans alongside five points apiece for Gavin Weir and Michael Boland helped Wicklow lead 2-12 to 1-7, and Roscommon were hammered in the third quarter as Andy O’Brien accumulated a four-minute hat-trick.

The Rossies remain in relegation doubt, but Armagh secured their safety with a 2-18 to 2-17 win over Fermanagh, their winning point coming from the stick of Cormac Jennings.

In the Lory Meaghar, Cavan drew with Longford on Saturday, 2-15 to 0-21, Monaghan came out on top against Lancashire (5-19 to 3-18) and Leitrim scraped past Warwickshire by 2-17 to 2-15 in Sunday’s games.