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GAA Round-Up: Bittersweet Day For Both Wexford and Antrim

by Michael Corry

There was plenty of action across both codes on Saturday with teams up and down the country booking final spots while others packed their bags for another summer.

Donegal defied most of the experts to swat aside the Tyrone challenge and book their spot in another Ulster final, while Patrick Horgan hit 1-12 for Cork in their facile win over Waterford who now haven’t won a championship match since 2017.

Wexford were made to sweat but came away with a comfortable victory over Carlow, while Eddie Brennan’s Laois put five goals past Kerry to book their first Croke park visit since 2005.

Lower down the hurling spectrum, Armagh, Meath, Down, Leitrim and Lancashire all book respective final spots.

The football qualifiers also got underway with strong wins for Derry, Antrim, Offaly and Leitrim.

Here is our full & comprehensive round-up of Saturday’s GAA action.

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Ulster Senior Football Championship

 

Tyrone 0-15 Donegal 1-16

Jamie Brennan was on fire yet again as Donegal swatted aside the challenge of Tyrone to book their spot in the 2019 Ulster SFC Final.

Talisman Michael Murphy was also on form for Declan Bonner’s side who dominated Tyrone from start to finish in Breffni Park.

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Munster Senior Hurling Championship

 

Cork 2-30 Waterford 2-17

Patrick Horgan and Alan Cadogan hit first-half goals as Cork eased to victory over Waterford despite not playing to the best of their ability.

The Bennett brothers, Stephen and Shane, pulled back goals for Waterford in the second half but it’s an early exit for the second year running having now not won a championship match since the 2017 All-Ireland semi-final win over Cork.

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Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

 

Wexford 2-28 Carlow 0-19

Wexford overcame a rocky first half to come out comfortable winners over Carlow at Innovate Wexford Park.

Wexford got off to a fantastic start with Conor McDonald and Lee Chin combining to put Rory O’Connor through for their opening goal, however, Carlow battled hard and were within two points at half-time.

However, Wexford turned it on in the second half outscoring the Barrowsiders by 1-18 to 0-8 with McDonald getting their second goal on a day where he would finish with 1-4, all of which were from play.

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All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Round One Qualifiers

 

Offaly 1-21 London 1-11

Offaly advance to the next round of the qualifiers after a 10-point win over the Thamessiders.

Offaly got off to a great start with the opening four points, however, that man, Killian Butler, netted after seven minutes to spark London into life.

However, it was all Offaly from there on out as John Maughan’s side march on into the second round.

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Leitrim 0-15 Wicklow 0-13

Terry Hyland’s men bounced back from their Connacht Championship hammering against Roscommon to squeeze past Wicklow and into Monday’s second round draw.

The sides were level at half-time with Wicklow relying heavily on goalkeeper, Mark Jackson, who hit 0-7 in total. The score edged back and forth until the final ten minutes when Leitrim pulled away with Ryan O’Rourke and Niall Brady ensuring their win in Carrick-on-Shannon.

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Wexford 0-10 Derry 4-16

Derry continued in their rich vein of form following their slip-up against Tyrone last month by putting Wexford to the sword with 18 points to spare.

Shane McGuigan, Ryan Bell, Benny Heron and Enda Lynn grabbed the goals for a Derry outfit who won’t fear anybody in the second round.

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Louth 1-11 Antrim 2-16

It was Louth who started the brighter of the two in this game and at one stage in the first half led by six points. However, two goals before half-time by Matthew Fitzpatrick saw Antrim go in at the break one point in front.

From there on out the Saffrons kicked on and would finish with eight points to spare over Wayne Kierans’ side.

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Joe McDonagh Cup

 

Antrim 0-21 Westmeath 0-29

It was a great day for the footballers but not so much for the Antrim hurlers who fell to an eight-point defeat against Westmeath in Dunloy.

Antrim lost the game in the first half as an impressive Westmeath outfit powered to a 0-15 to 0-9 lead at the break. The Saffrons battled back in the second half but were never able to get close enough to the Leinster men who now stand on the brink of a second successive Joe McDonagh Cup final.

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Kerry 1-21 Laois 5-17

Eddie Brennan’s side booked their place in the Joe McDonagh Cup final with a five-star win over Kerry in Tralee.

Stephen Maher top-scored for Laois with 0-6 with Aaron Dunphy also notching 1-3. Laois’ other goals were scored by Ross King, Neil Foyle and Cha Dwyer.

Shane Conway scored 0-9 for Kerry while Padraig Boyle hit 1-6.

The win means Laois will play hurling in Croke Park for the first time since 2005 in the final.

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Christy Ring Cup

 

London 2-18 Donegal 1-14

The Thamessiders secured their Christy Ring status with a seven-point win over Donegal in Crossmaglen on Saturday.

London netted early through Benny McCarry before Ciarán Matthewson scored from a penalty to bring Donegal back into it. Donegal eventually grabbed hold of the game and led London by seven points.

However, 1-4 without reply from London set them up for a fantastic win that ensures they remain in hurling’s third tier.

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Meath 3-24 Derry 2-18

The Royal County are through to a second successive Christy Ring final following a huge win over Derry in Armagh.

Meath didn’t have it all their own way as they had to rally late with three goals in the final minutes to put Derry to the sword.

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Down 3-18 Roscommon 1-15

The Mournemen join Meath in the final following a hard fought win over Roscommon in Inniskeen.

Daithí and Eoghan Sands pointed the way for Down yet again as the two brothers netted first-half goals to leave the score 2-8 to 0-10 at the break.

Naos Connaughton scored a goal for Roscommon who battled hard but Down proved too strong in the end.

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Nicky Rackard Cup

 

Armagh 2-19 Tyrone 1-20

It was Armagh who came away with the derby day spoils to book a record seventh Nicky Rackard final. However, they were pushed all the way by Tyrone who led by five points at one stage.

Danny Magee netted in the first-half for Armagh with goalkeeper, Simon Doherty, also proving his influential self with a long-range score.

Damien Casey scored 1-13 for Tyrone with his goal shortly after half time giving them the lead, however, 0-10 from Dean Gaffney as well as 1-4 from Eoin McGuinness and a late save by Doherty meant that it was Armagh who came out on top.

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Monaghan 4-17 Louth 2-20

The Farney County saved themselves from relegation at Louth’s expense in Crossmaglen on Saturday.

Brian McGuigan and Fergal Rafter hit goals for Monaghan in the opening half to give them a one-point lead at the break. However, a Pádraig Fallon goal helped Louth go back in front in the second half before Martin Murphy netted for Monaghan close to the end to help them seal the win.

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Lory Meagher Cup

 

Leitrim 2-18 Fermanagh 1-16

Leitrim needed to win by five in order to qualify for the Lory Meagher Cup final and they executed that task in Carrick-on-Shannon and they did just that with help from goalscorers, Clement Cunniffe and Ben Murray.

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Cavan 1-7 Lancashire 1-27

The English based side qualified for their second successive Lory Meagher Cup final with a 20-point win over Cavan on Saturday.

Lancashire must surely be favourites for the final after topping the group and having this semi-final all but wrapped up by half-time.

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