Meath bounce back, Derry look contenders

LEAGUE WRAP: Meath bounced back from their first round horror-show against London while Derry look like Christy Ring Cup contenders too on the back of a solid win over London. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Meath bounced back from their first round horror-show against London while Derry look like Christy Ring Cup contenders too on the back of a solid win over London at Ruislip on Saturday. Meanwhile next weekend's meeting of Donegal and Tyrone in Carrickmore looks like a relegation showdown. Tyrone’s second outing of the year was in Trim and they were on the receiving end of a Meath backlash, the Royals prevailing by 2-29 to 2-15. Jack Regan (0-13) and James Kelly (0-4) led the way for Meath while Tyrone remain hugely dependent on dead ball scores, scoring just 1-8 from play, including 0-3 from Ciarán Magill and 1-1 for Rory Weir.

Conditions were dismal at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny, where 14-man Wicklow edged out Donegal by 1-11 to 1-10 thanks to a 66th minute free from Pádraig Doran that was initially waved wide, a verdict that was correct, insisted Donegal manager Mickey McCann afterwards.

Donegal will also regret 20 missed chances over the contest, many of them in a poor first half that they edged by 0-6 top 0-5.

Pádraig Doyle hit the net around the 50 minute mark for Wicklow to make it 1-10 to 0-9, but they then lost Jack Phelan to a second yellow card and in a ferociously scrappy finish, Luke White’s penalty with 12 minutes remaining levelled the tie and should have set Donegal up to pick up a win.

Derry on the other hand are in flying form and they look like real cup contenders after coming from behind to beat London by 2-19 to 1-18 at Ruislip yesterday.

London were flying high after their win over Meath and they hit the first four points of the game and pushed on to lead by 1-10 to 0-6, their goal coming from Seán Glynn.

Cormac O’Doherty’s goal midway through the second half was quickly followed by Conor O’Carroll collecting a straight red card for London, and Derry got their noses in front through Rúairí Ó Mianáin and Eamon Conway before O’Doherty’s second goal clinched their win.

In the Nickey Rackard Cup, Louth picked up a big win over Fermanagh at Dowdallshill in the only game that was played yesterday, 3-20 to 0-15.

Fermanagh’s 0-11 to 0-7 half-time lead, with 0-5 coming from the stick of Danaan McKeogh, looked inadequate given the strength of the breeze that favoured the Erne County in the opening half.

Louth took their first lead in the 53rd minute through a Darren Geoghegan free and once the same player added a goal approaching the hour mark, the result was inevitable. Stoppage time goals from former Offaly hurler Leon Fox and Seaghan Connelly pushed the final margin out to 14 points, flattering the home side.

In Saturday’s games, Sligo felt aggrieved at referee James Judge after he announced three minutes of stoppage time in their game against Roscommon at Markievicz Park, only for Jack Donnelly to score an equalising goal in the eighth minute of overtime to leave it level, 0-17 to 1-14, at the final whistle.

Roscommon were the stronger side in the opening half with centre back and captain Conor Cosgrove their driving force, scoring 0-5 in all. However Sligo took over with the breeze at their backs and led by Andy Kilcullen, who scored 0-9 (0-7f), they seemed to have done enough before Donnelly’s late winner.

Mayo look like the dominant side in the competition after they made short work of Armagh at the Box-It Athletic Grounds to make it two wins out of two.

Shane Boland (0-7), Liam Lavin (0-6), Eoin Delaney (0-4) and Simon Thomas (1-1) all plundered the Armagh defence in a game which finished 1-29 to 0-11 to the Connacht side, with the 0-16 to 0-1 half-time score illustrating a shockingly one-sided opening 35 minutes.

The absence of Niall Arthurs due to suspension from the Monaghan forward line proved critical in the local derby at Kingspan Breffni, as Cavan continued their positive momentum in the Lory Meaghar Cup with a 2-20 to 1-14 victory.

After a bright start for both teams, Monaghan lead by 0-4 to 0-3 after eight minutes, but goals from Seán Keating and Nicky Kenny put the hosts in the driving seat and they never looked back.

Liam O’Brien (0-11, 0-9f) was in sensational form from dead balls for Cavan, who led by 2-12 to 0-9 at the interval and never had less than seven points to spare in the second half, even after Shane Slevin goaled for the visitors.

Leitrim picked up their first win of the campaign by beating Lancashire 1-13 to 1-12, finally getting going after they failed to score in the first 15 minutes at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. Joe Murray hit a first half goal from a penalty while Dhani Keane scoring 0-3 off the bench for Leitrim was a vital contribution.

In the other leg of the double header at the Longford venue, Longford beat Warwickshire by 1-14 to 0-16, Martin Farrell striking a late and decisive goal to help the home side retrieve a 0-13 to 0-9 lead midway through the second half.