Gaelic Games

NFL Division Three wrap: Wicklow struggling to stave off relegation despite win

Westmeath drop costly point at home to Fermanagh; Louth put one foot in Division Two

Nicky Devereux came out on the right side of the result with Wicklow but Division Three survival is out of their hands. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Sun Mar 20 2022 - 16:23

Longford 2-13 Wicklow 0-20

Wicklow recorded their first win of the league campaign but, despite this victory over Longford, they are all but relegated. If the Garden County were to stay up, they would need results to really go their way next week.

For Longford, it comes down to the final game against manager Billy O’Loughlin’s native Laois and they’d need a much improved performance if they have any hope of retaining their Division Three status.

Wicklow were full value for the win. Eoin Darcy opened the scoring with a free in the fourth minute before Longford found some form. The excellent Jack Duggan scored a goal in the fifth minute before Darragh Doherty got a second in the 10th.

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A fine Oran Kenny point extended Longford’s lead to six minutes later. Wicklow, though, hit back and cut the gap to three in the 16th minute. The lead was just one point heading towards the break but Longford went in ahead by two when Oran Kenny kicked over his second point.

The second half was a real tit-for-tat affair. The sides were level four times in the half as Wicklow fought hard for the win. Within the opening minute Kenny brought a fine save out of Wicklow net-minder Jackson. One minute later Fintan O’Shea cut the gap again to just one point.

Duggan again put Longford ahead by two but Wicklow replied through Jackson (‘45) and Paddy O’Keane. Wicklow took the lead in the 58th minute; the first time they were ahead since the fourth minute; Quinn with the point. Healy edged them in front by on the hour mark.

Duggan (free) and Keelin McGann drew Longford level in the 67th minute but that was the closest they got to Wicklow. Sub Alan Dillon put Wicklow ahead by two and though Duggan cut the gap to one in stoppage time, the Garden County held on for a deserved win.

Longford: P Collum; P Fox, A Farrell, B O'Farrell; J Moran, PJ Masterson, I O'Sullivan; R Moffett, D Gallagher (0-1, one free); E McCormack, D Doherty (1-1), O Kenny (0-2) ; D Farrell, M Hughes (0-1), J Duggan (1-5, two frees).

Subs: J Hagan (0-2) for D Farrell (27 mins), K McGann (0-1) for Hughes (47 mins), J Matthews for Doherty (56 mins), J Shiels for Moffett (58 mins), C Dooner for Kenny (63 mins)

Wicklow: M Jackson (0-1, one '45); P O'Keane (0-1), M Stones, N Devereux; T Stone, Z Cullen, F O'Shea (0-1); D Healy (0-3), P O'Toole (0-1); JP Hurley, E Darcy (0-7,0-5fs), D Fitzgerald (0-1); O'Cullen, M Kenny (0-2), K Quinn (0-2).

Subs: E Murtagh for Devereux (50 mins), A Dillon (0-1) for Hurley (62 mins), R Stokes for Cullen (65 mins), A Murphy for Fitzgerald (70+1 mins)

Referee: M Farrelly (Cavan)

Westmeath 1-9 Fermanagh 0-12

A wasteful Westmeath side dropped a crucial Division Three point to Fermanagh in ideal conditions for football in Mullingar on Sunday afternoon.

Two frees by John Heslin helped Westmeath to a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before Ryan Lyons halved the deficit with a fabulous point. Westmeath pounced for a well-taken goal when David Lynch found the net via the post in the 14th minute. Ronan O’Toole was black-carded in the 26th minute, but his side still led by 1-5 to 0-6 at half-time.

Alex Gardiner was denied what looked a certain goal by Sean McNally seven minutes after play resumed. A hungry Fermanagh side took over and led by 0-11 to 1-7 when 56 minutes had elapsed. Indeed, the disallowing of another Sean Quigley ‘point’ incensed their manager Kieran Donnelly so much that he picked up a yellow card.

A great free from Heslin and a fine score from play by O’Toole edged Jack Cooney’s back men in front by the 67th minute, but Quigley equalised on the 70-minute mark from a 45-metre free. With time almost up, Heslin picked out Lynch, but he somehow fired the ball wide with the net gaping.

The referee was busy in the closing stages, issuing a second yellow to Ryan Jones, as well as black cards to Sam McCartan and Richard O’Callaghan.

Westmeath: J Daly; J Smith, K Maguire, N Harte; D Giles, D Lynch (1-0), J Gonoud; S Duncan, J Lynam; R Connellan, R O'Toole (0-2), S McCartan (0-1); L Loughlin (0-1), J Heslin (0-3, three frees), A Gardiner (0-2).

Subs: R Wallace for Giles (42 mins), L Dolan for Gardiner (50 mins), F Ayorinde for Duncan (55 mins), K Martin for Lynam (63 mins), TJ Cox for Loughlin (67 mins).

Fermanagh: S McNally; R O'Callaghan, J Cassidy, L Flanagan; A Breen, J McMahon, R Lyons (0-1); R Jones, B Horan; C Corrigan (0-3, one mark), D McGurn (0-1), J Largo Ellis; G Jones (0-1, free), C Jones, S Quigley (0-6, three frees, one '45).

Subs: G McKenna for C Jones (58 mins), D Leonard for G Jones (58 mins).

Ref: T Murphy (Galway).

Louth 1-12 Antrim 1-8

Louth have one foot in Division Two next season thanks to a significant win over fellow promotion chasers Antrim at Páirc uí Mhuire in Ardee.

Owing to the head-to-head rule, Louth have beaten any team around them, so if results go their way next weekend they could be promoted on the nine points amassed so far with a game to spare.

The slight pause on the promotion party is the fact that Louth’s score difference is quite low. If Limerick were to draw next weekend, and Westmeath or Antrim - who face each other - win and Louth lose and remain on nine points, they will miss out.

However, as it stands Louth are in a strong position on the back of a business-like performance over the off-colour Saffrons. The four-point win flattered the visitors as Louth were in the ascendancy all afternoon.

Daire McConnon, in his first start for Louth, provided the early impetus for Mickey Harte’s improving outfit with a brace. Sam Mulroy then guided Louth over the line with all of their second half scores.

Antrim’s Ryan Murray tried to make the de facto playoff competitive, but lacked the support required to mount any real sort of threat to Louth’s win.

Half-time could not halt Louth’s momentum as Murray landed the last score of the half to make it 0-7 to 0-4 at the break in the hosts’ favour.

Mulroy got into the groove upon the restart from placed balls to keep Antrim at arm’s length until Dermot McAleese pounced at the back post to add a late twist to the procession.

Tomas McCann’s long ball was punched home by the wingback McAleese and entirely against the run of play, Murray added another to make it a one point game.

Louth and Mulroy didn’t panic and the talisman palmed home a late effort himself; a goal that could well see Louth play at a higher level next season for the first time since 2018.

Louth: J Califf; D McKenny, Bevan Duffy, Dan Corcoran; L Grey, N Sharkey, C McKeever; T Durnin (0-1), J Clutterbuck; L Jackson, S Mulroy (1-9, seven frees, one '45), C Lennon; D McConnon (0-2 ,one mark), C Downey, R Burns.

Subs: D Nally for Burns (15 mins), T Jackson for Sharkey (51 mins), C Byrne for McConnon (54 mins), G Malone for Grey (57 mins), S Healy for Clutterbuck (72 mins), J Murphy for Durnin (74 mins).

Antrim: O Kerr; E McCabe, R Johnston J Laverty; P McAleer, P Healy, D McAleese (1-0); M McCann, M Johnston; R Murray (0-3, one free), M Jordan, R McCann (0-1, one free); T McCann (0-2, one '45), C Murray (0-2), O Eastwood.

Subs: P Shivers for Eastwood (27 mins), K Small for M Johnston (42 mins), P McCormick for McAleer (50 mins), E Hynds for R Murray (66 mins), B McCormick for McAleese (66 mins).

Ref: P Maguire (Longford).