TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship
TYRONE and Cavan have work to do if they are to keep alive their chances of All-Ireland knockout football after defeats on the opening weekend of the senior championship.
The Red Hands had the unenviable task of coming up against defending champions Dublin in Kingspan Breffni in their Group Three clash, but they showed no fear and indeed had the holders rocking early on but Dublin’s class shone through to win 2-18 to 1-11. Chloe McCaffrey’s 13th minute goal had them stunned, however, the water break saw Dublin regroup and a strong finish to the half saw them take control with Jennifer Dunne and Siobhan Killeen grabbing majors to put them 2-8 to 1-8 ahead at the break.
Dublin dominated the third quarter as Tyrone failed to register a score during that time, finally getting the first score of the second half after 47 minutes through Niamh Hughes with Niamh O’Neill, who finished with nine points, adding another two.
In Group One, Mayo joined Armagh at the top of their group with a 1-18 to 0-15 victory over Cavan in Markievicz Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Westerners laid the foundation for the victory with a strong second quarter as they outscored Gerry Moane’s side 1-4 to 0-2 to build up a seven point interval break, 1-9 to 0-5, Rachel Kearns with the all important goal on 24 minutes.
The early exchanges were tight with just two points separating the sides at the first water break, Mayo with their noses in front, 0-5 to 0-3.
They were able to keep this advantage and the Breffni girls at arm’s length in the second half to run out deserved winners despite substitute Amy Rooney’s six points.
Elsewhere, Cork held off a brave challenge from senior newcomers Meath to win 1-9 to 0-10, Brid O’Sullivan’s goal just before half-time proving crucial and Galway held on for a 2-11 to 2-10 win over Kerry on Friday evening in the first game of the championship.
TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate & Junior Championships
THERE were mixed fortunes for Ulster’s two intermediate championship sides but it is Down who are in the driving seat in Group Four after a 3-14 to 2-14 win over Offaly while Fermanagh saw a seven-point lead crumble as they lost by a single point, 1-12 to 1-11 to Leitrim.
The Mourne girls turned in a superb performance in Lannleire on Sunday with Natasha Ferris central to their victory, in which she scored 2-1 in the space of 60 seconds. The Faithful county started the brighter and had built up a six-point advantage but at the break that was cut to the minimum. They took control again on the resumption with five unanswered points but that 2-1 from Ferris turned the game on its head. It was end-to-end after that and Kate McKay pulled off a super save to keep Offaly at bay and with the sides level, Ferris struck over three unanswered points to give Down victory.
Fermanagh goalkeeper Shauna Murphy saved a penalty in each half but it wasn’t enough as the Erne girls saw lost by the minimum in Ballinamore. They had led at the break 1-8 to 0-5, Aoife Flanagan netting the goal with the last action of the half when she collected a stunning pass from Eimear Smyth before firing to the net.
Laura O’Dowd gave Leitrim a lifeline when she goaled to leave four between them, 1-10 to 1-6 and it was the catalyst they needed with Fermanagh managing just one more point in the final eight or so minutes, Michelle Guckian with four of their five last points.
In the junior competition, Derry recored their first win in over two years when a Ciara McGurk goal helped them to a 1-07 to 0-07 win over neighbours Antrim in Corrigan Park. The sides were level at 0-3 apiece at the break but the Oak Leafers took control on the resumption to record the victory.
