All-Ireland IFC Final
Ballinderry (Derry) 0-13 Crossmolina Deel Rovers (Mayo) 1-12 (FT)
National Football League
- Division 2 – Roscommon 3-21 Down 1-20 (FT)
- Division 2 – Westmeath 0-18 Louth 1-17 (FT)
- Division 3 – Antrim 1-9 Clare 1-6 (FT)
- Division 3 – Offaly 1-17 Sligo 0-13 (FT)
- Division 4 – Longford 2-12 Limerick 1-15 (FT)
National Hurling League
- Division 1A – Clare 0-21 Kilkenny 0-23 (FT)
- Division 1A – Galway 2-16 Tipperary 3-25 (FT)
Full-time: Tipperary 3-25 Galway 2-16. That’s that - if anything, the final score flatters Galway, who got two late goals that were down to goalkeeper error as much as anything else. Decent showing from Liam Chaill’s Tipperary side, esepcially his young forwards Dylan Walsh and Darragh McCarthy. They’ll run into bigger obstacles down the line but this was a very good first showing.
70 mins: Hmmm. Rhys Shelly will be the one player in the Tipp dressing room unhappy with his day. That’s another goal for Galway, and another off a nothing long ball that dropped in SHelly’s square without him dealing with it. Galway 2-16 Tipperary 3-24
69 mins: Dylan Walsh has had a fine outing at corner forward for Tipp. That’s another one for him, making it 1-3 for the day. Galway 1-15 Tipperary 3-23
65 mins: Ha! No sooner had I typed that than Shelly fluffed another handling error on his own line, leading to Galway bundling in a goal. They’re too far back for it too matter, clearly. But at least it warmed the Galway crowd for a moment. Galway 1-14 Tipperary 3-22
62 mins: This is a desperately poor display by Galway, particularly since they only have one more home match in the rest of the league. They’ve been completely outplayed in every sector of the pitch - and if anything, Tipp have been even better against the wind in this second half.
53 mins: Big cheer from the Tipp crowd as Seamus Kennedy makes his return from a cruciate injury. He’ll be a huge asset, once they get him back to fitness.
50 mins: And Galway are heavily punished, as Dylan Walsh wriggles free to bury his first goal of the day up the other end. This is a right hiding now. Galway 0-11 Tipperary 3-18
48 mins: Drama! Ryhs Shelly has two scares inside a minute in the Galway goal. First, he pulls off a decent save from a Kevin Cooney shot. But am inute later, he makes a complete hash of a regulation catch from a Tom Monaghan shot that drops short and almost puts it into his own net. Galway 0-11 Tipperary 2-18
44 mins: That should do it for Tipp. Galway needed to get that ball clear but nobody took responsibility for it and once Gearóid O’Connor got it out from under his feet, he was able to ping it to the bottom corner. Galway 0-11 Tipperary 2-17
39 mins: Kevin Cooney pulls another one back for Galway and the game is getting a bit narky now. Lyons has flashed three yellow cards since half-time - Tipp’s Alan Tynan was possibly lucky enough not to have seen red, actually. When the dust settles, Jake Morris lands a fine score for Tipp. Galway 0-11 Tipperary 1-15.
36 mins: Not well, is the immedaite answer. Craig Morgan skips forward for the first point of the second half for Tipp, Donal O’Shea misses from long range for Gawlay. But Oisin Lohan’s radar is better and there’s seven in it again. Galway 0-10 Tipperary 1-14
Second half underway in Salthill. Galway have the wind in the second half but they have seven points to make up. Let’s see how they use it.
Whatever happens in the National Leagues, there’s no question what the story of the day is. Conor Loftus scoring the winning penalty for Crossmolina in the Intermediate All-Ireland final a couple of weeks after the death of his fiancée Róisín Cryan is such an emotional way for it all to end. Captain Mikie Loftus paid a fitting tribute in his speech.
Half-time: Galway got the last score of the half through Tom Monaghan, who followed it up by chasing Willie Connors back to deny him a goalscoring opportunity. Micheál Donoghue’s side need a lot more of that in the second half. Galway 0-9 Tipperary 1-13
33 mins: Tipp are motoring here but Galway are very loose. Gearoid O’Connor finds himself in a world of space and knocks it between the posts. Jake Morris follows up with one of his own and that’s eight between them now. Galway 0-8 Tipperary 1-13
29 mins: McCarthy puts Tipp six clear. That seemed to be a 50/50 free given to them by Colm Lyons - certainly the crowd in Pearse Stadium weren’t delighted with it. Nonetheless, Tipp have clear water between them and the home side again. And soon after, another one. Careless from Galway. Galway 0-8 Tipperary 1-11
25 mins: Who else only Conor Whelan to end it? Great score from Galway’s main man on the turn. Tipp immediately strike back through a McCarthy free. Galway 0-6 Tipperary 1-8
24 mins: Bit of a lull in Salthill, no score for the past eight minutes.
17 mins: This is an encouraging start from Tipp. They moved the ball around the pitch there with a necklace of lovely stick passes, ending up with Willie Connors hoisting his first score of the way from the left sideline. In the next breath, Ronan Maher landed a trademark long one from midfield. Galway need a foothold here. Galway 0-5 Tipperary 1-7
15 mins: McCarthy has his eye in on his debut - that’s a beautifully-struck long range free from the young Tipp forward. Galway 0-5 Tipperary 1-5
14 mins: Close one! Conor Whelan finally gets into the game for Galway and he heads straight for goal in his usual style. The Tipp defence have to foul him close in and Burke ices the free. Galway 0-5 Tipperary 1-4.
11 mins: Penalty for Tipp! Again, it was Dylan Walsh who picked up a break on the edge of the Galway D and went for goal. He was brought down and Darragh McCarthy did the needful from the penalty. These two kids have started so well. Galway 0-4 Tipperary 1-4.
9 mins: Brillinat from Kevin Cooney, who slices a sideline ball between the sticks from 35 metres out. Excellent score. Tipp hit back in the next breath, Jake Morris whipping over his shoulder. Galway 0-4 Tipperary 0-3
6 mins: Dylan Walsh looks lively for Tipp. He got fouled twice there by Jack Grealish but took his score from a tight angle anyway. Galway 0-3 Tipperary 0-2
5 mins: Great save! Éanna Murphy gets down to save smartly from Dylan Walsh after a strong run through from Craig Morgan. Tipp’s young guns are showing well in the opening skirmishes. Rory Burke nails a free for Galway at the other end a minute later. Four-point swing there. Galway 0-3 Tipperary 0-1
4 mins: Only one game left this afternoon - Galway v Tipperary in the hurling league in SAlthill. The home side have started quicker, with early point from Cianan Fahy and Oisin Lohan. Darragh McCarthy hits back with a free for Tipp. Galway 0-2 Tipperary 0-1
Big drama at the end in Mullingar. Westmeath had gone stride for stride with a much-vaunted Louth team all the way to injury-time. But with the sides level at 0-16 apiece, last year’s under-20 captain Sean Reynolds fired home the winning goal for Ger Brennan’s side. Last year’s All-Ireland quarter-finalists ran out two-point winners, 1-17 to 0-18.
Full-time: It’s blocked on the line and Kilkenny come out with a two-point win. That’s serious going, especially after Clare took such a commanding early lead. Kilkenny 0-23 Clare 0-21.
Last minute free: Keith Smyth needs a goal here to save it for Clare...
Full-time: Roscommon had too much in the end, as Down faded through the final quarter. A six-point win for Davy Burke’s side. Fantastic game. Roscommon 3-20 Down 1-20.
72 mins: Brilliant score from Eoin Cody puts Kilkenny ahead again. Luke Hogan adds another and that it probably that. This is brilliant stuff for January hurling. Clare 0-21 Kilkenny 0-23
71 mins: A massive point from Paddy Donnellan draws Clare level. Four minutes of inujury-time in Ennis. Clare 0-21 Kilkenny 0-21
69 mins: Billy Drennan points a straightfroward free and Kilkenny lead heading into injury time. Clare 0-20 Kilkenny 0-21
65 mins: Five minutes to go in Ennis and it’s all square. Mossy Keoghan has got the latest two on the bounce, his fourth and fifth from play this afternoon. Fantastic display by himm. Clare 0-20 Kilkenny 0-20
63 mins: Kilkenny nosed into the lead in Ennis but Clare aren’t going away either. It’s tit-for-tat and now two points in a row by Keith Smyth and one from Cian Galvin push the home side ahead. Clare 0-19 Kilkenny 0-18
58 mins: Ah, this is magnificent stuff in the Hyde. A third goal for Roscommon, this time a direct result of Down pushing their goalkeeper forward. The move broke down, one speared foot-pass to Ciarán Murtagh was all it took and the finish, into an open goal from 40 metres out, was spectacular. Roscommon 3-15 Down 1-19.
53 mins: Daire Cregg goes off on a black card for the Rossies, a flailing trip seeing him walk to the sinbin for 10 minutes. Down are a point up. Roscommon 2-15 Down 1-19
52 mins: The Rossies have coming roaring back here, with the Murtagh brothers to the fore. And now Enda Smith has drawn them level with a lovely score from the right after a smart Daire Cregg lay-off. All square heading into the last quarter. Roscommon 2-15 Down 1-18
Amazing drama in Croke Park as Crossmolina win the All-Ireland Intermediate final with a penalty in the last minute. And who else to score it only Conor Loftus. After everything he and his family and club have been through over the past fortnight, that’s an incredible way for it to end.
40 mins: Down haven’t let up at all since the break, stretching their lead out to seven points. Pat Havern popped over the latest one just now. He’s having a field day. Huge two-pointer for Roscommon there, however - Shane Cunnane with the outside of the boot. And now Diarmuid Murtagh has foolowed up with a score of his own. Only four in it now. Frantic stuff. Roscommon 2-9 Down 1-16.
37 mins: Back underway in Ennis and Peter McDonald immediately brings Kilkenny back to withing a point with a long range score. Clare 0-12 Kilkenny 0-11
Half-time: Close game in Mullingar, where Westmeath have made up for a slow start and got back to within a point of Louth at the break. The visitors were 0-9 to 0-3 ahead after 22 minutes but Dermot McCabe’s side knuckled down in fine style and it’s game on for the seocnd half.
Half-time: Down have been excellent in the Hyde. Havern has swung over three two-pointers, two of them from frees and those have been the difference. The Rossies have been a bit wasteful - Enda Smith won’t hit a worse penalty all year. A terrific game, non-stop action all the way through. A decent advertisement for the new rules.
Half-time: Kilkenny rattled back into matters as the first half went on in Ennis. Billy Drennan, Cian Kenny and Mikey Carey hauled them back from a big early deficit to leave only two points between the sides at the break. Clare 0-12 Kilkenny 0-10
Full-time: Antrim have beaten Clare in Corrigan Park 1-9 to 1-6. Hard-fought win at home for Andy McEntee’s side.
30 mins: The drama keeps coming in the Hyde. O’Hare has redeemed himself with a fine save from what was a wan enough Enda Smith penalty. Roscommon 2-5 Down 1-11
26 mins: But they’ve ruined their good work there. Goalkeeper John O’Hare spilled a dropping ball and Cian McKeow walks it into the net. Here comes James McGuinness with another two-pointer for Down though! Swung over from the 45, terrific score. This is a cracking game. Roscommon 1-11 Down 2-5
24 mins: These two-pointers are making some difference for Down. Pat Havern has just struck his second of the day, this time from a free that he brought back outside the arc after the Rossies were found to have not kept their three players up. Roscommon 1-5 Down 1-9
14 mins: Goal for Down! Out of nowhere really, a shot dropping short in the square and for Ryan McEvoy managed to get a two-handed scoop to it to direct it into the net. It was scruffy enough but they’ll take it. They’re giving Roscommon plenty of trouble - Pat Havern scored a lovely two-pointer a while ago. They elad in the Hyde, 1-5 to 1-4
6 mins: Clare have the all early momentum in Ennis, with David Reidy in flying form. His second point puts them 0-4 to 0-0 ahead of Kilkenny already.
2 mins: An early goal for Roscommon and what a move this is. Enda Smith started it and finished it, raiding up the left wing before playing a couple of give-and-goes and dribbliing his finish low to the net. Down had got theopening point through Odhran Murdock but that’s a brilliant reply. Roscommon 1-0 Down 0-1
The two o’clock games are about to throw-in.
It’s half-time in the day’s two 1pm throw-ins.
At Corrigan Park, Antrim lead Clare 1-7 to 1-1 at the break in their NFL Division 3 fixture. In Division 4 of the NHL, Roscommon trail London 1-10 to 0-9 at McGovern Park in Ruislip.
For those who missed yesterday’s action, there were wins in Division 1 of the NFL for Galway, Tyrone and Dublin, while Monaghan and Cork came good in Division 2.
[ Galway ride the storm and hit Armagh hard in the second halfOpens in new window ]
[ Dublin’s fresh faces hold off Mayo to open league with a winOpens in new window ]
In the hurling, Division 1A saw Cork beat Wexford, while Dublin got Niall Ó Ceallacháin’s tenure off to a winning start with a win over Antrim in Division 1B.
[ Cork make promising start as Wexford already look in trouble after opening defeatOpens in new window ]
[ Niall Ó Ceallacháin completes dream week as Dublin tenure starts with big winOpens in new window ]
With Kerry and Donegal’s Division 1 fixture cancelled, Division 2 takes centre-stage in the NFL.
Roscommon welcome Down to the Hyde for a 2pm throw-in, the same time as Westmeath host Louth in Mullingar.
Here’s how I think the division will pan out:
Meanwhile, Seán Moran has been focused on matters of the hurling variety.
Take a read of his preview for this weekend’s Division 1A and 1B fixtures below:
How are the heads after yesterday’s baptism of fire for the Football Review Committee’s new rules?
There was a lot of newness to take in, but overall not a bad showing.
If you need another refresher on the rule changes ahead of today’s games, take a read of Gordon Manning’s explainer below:
No sooner had I pressed publish on the day’s fixtures than the GAA were on to confirm the NFL Division 4 game between Wicklow and Waterford has been postponed.
The 2pm throw-in at Aughrim is the third casualty of today’s schedule, but still 10 fixtures left standing. We shall persevere.
