Big guns rumble

With welcome sunshine splashing some colour across the Gaelic fields yesterday, Kerry and Derry remain on course for places in knockout stages of the Church and General National Football League.

In Killarney, Paidi O Se's men fired all manner of wides but still had enough ammunition to put away a Roscommon side who spluttered their way to nine points.

"I suppose things are fitting together quite well now," allowed O Se. Meanwhile, Galway are showing signs of limbering up at the right time, striding past Tyrone 0-15 to 1-11 to ease into second place of Division 1A.

In Parnell Park, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern watched Dublin exorcise the nightmares of a fortnight ago with an industrious win over Donegal.

The game turned on a well crafted home goal which Colin Moran blasted home just after half-time. Donegal trailed from there on in.

Dublin's hopes of a play-off place are now firmly back on track. All-Ireland champions Meath still languish in the lower reaches of Division 1B, but their tally of 1-10 against Derry serves a reminder that they can still kick a bit of football. The draw result means Derry retain their place at the top of the division while Sligo bolt into semi-final contention after their win over Mayo.

In the lower divisions, Offaly's unblemished season continues to set the pace in Division 2A; they dismantled Limerick yesterday by 2-9 to 0-11 while Laois continued their winning streak in Division 2B by defeating Wexford by 1-14 to 1-07.