Gaelic Games

Division Three wrap: Wicklow and Louth salvage late draws

Westmeath move joint top of the league after two-goal win over Laois at O’Moore Park

Mark Kenny kicked three points in Wicklow’s draw with Fermanagh. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Sun Feb 6 2022 - 16:27

Wicklow 1-10 Fermanagh 2-07

Wicklow substitute Oisin McGraynor salvaged a point for the home side in the Allianz National Football League Division 3 clash with Fermanagh in a game dominated by a blustery wind in Aughrim that caused havoc for both sides over the course of the 70 minutes.

With both teams badly needing a win after their opening day defeats to Westmeath and Antrim, it was wind-assisted Fermanagh who looked like they were in a very strong position when goals from Conall Jones and Sean Quigley helped the visitors to a 2-4 to 0-2 lead at the break while they were also guilty of leaving at least two other goal chances behind them.

With Colin Kelly springing Kevin Quinn off the bench after the break, a long 35 minutes looked on offer from Fermanagh and they pushed ahead by 2-6 to 0-3 in the opening seven minutes as Wicklow really struggled to break down their disciplined defence.

READ MORE

But Dean Healy’s goal after 23 minutes gave the Garden County a massive boost and further points from Eoin D’Arcy, Healy and Andy Maher left the sides level after 31 minutes.

Back came Fermanagh and a Gary McKenna point looked to have sealed a precious victory away from home but up stepped Oisin McGraynor with a late free to secure a share of the spoils for Colin Kelly’s men.

Wicklow: Mark Jackson (0-1, f); Patrick O'Keane, Nicky Devereux, Malachy Stone; Andy Maher (0-2), Niall Donnelly, Darragh Fitzgerald; Dean Healy (1-2), Pádraig O'Toole; Eoin Murtagh, Paul Cunningham, Mark Kenny (0-3, 1m, 1f); Arran Murphy, Dave Devereux, Eoin D'Arcy (0-1).

Subs: Kevin Quinn for D Devereux (H/T), Robert Lambert for M Jackson (42), Oisin McGraynor (0-1, f) for A Murphy (46), Rory Stokes for P Cunningham (53).

Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Garret Cavanagh, Jonny Cassidy, James McMahon; Declan McCusker, Josh Largo Ellis, Shane McGullion; Ryan Jones, Darragh McGurn (0-1); Brandon Horan, Conall Jones (1-1, m), Aidan Breen; Ciaran Corrigan, Ryan Lyons (0-1), Sean Quigley (1-3, 1f).

Subs: Tiernan Bogue for S McGullion (H/T), Gary McKenna (0-1) for C Jones (63), Richard O'Callaghan for B Horan (67).

Referee: David Hickey (Carlow)

Longford 0-09 Louth 1-06

A free from Sam Mulroy in the eighth minute of stoppage time earned Louth a point against Longford in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Longford will feel aggrieved because five minutes of stoppage time had been announced and they thought they’d done well to hold on after a fine point from Des Reynolds in the 68th minute edged them ahead. Reynolds received a black card just before the end.

Louth played into a strong wind but got the game’s opening score in the eighth minute when Liam Jackson played the ball to Sam Mulroy and he found the back of the net.

Longford were level in the 14th minute with points from Jayson Matthews, Iarla O’Sullivan and Paddy Fox. Ciaran Byrne hit over two fine points for Louth to give them a two point lead in the 22nd minute.

Frees were exchanged between Darren Gallagher (Longford) and Mulroy (Louth) as Mickey Harte’s side went in at the break with a two point lead - 1-3 to 0-4.

A pointed free from Jayson Matthews cut the gap to just one point five minutes into the second half but an excellent point from Ciaran Downey restored Louth’s two point lead in the 42nd minute.

Good work from Des Reynolds yielded a free for Longford which Gallagher fired over and in the 45th minute James Moran got up to level the game. Gallagher hit over his third free of the day to edge Longford ahead for the first time in the 60th minute.

There is never anything between these two sides and the last 10 minutes proved that. A fantastic score from Mulroy drew proceedings level again on 63 minutes. A point from Reynolds two minutes before the end of normal time put Longford ahead again but there was to be drama in stoppage time as the Sean Connolly’s clubman received a black card and a free from Mulroy with the last kick of the game earned Louth a draw.

Longford: P Collum; P Fox (0-1), A Farrell, B O'Farrell; J Moran (0-1), M Quinn, I O'Sullivan (0-1); D Gallagher (0-3, 3f), R Moffett; K McGann, J Hagan, Des Reynolds (0-1); R Smyth, J Matthews (0-2, 1f), D Doherty.

Subs: O Kenny for Doherty (26 mins), R McNerney for Hagan (53 mins), A McGuire for Smyth (63 mins), P Lynn for Matthews (68 mins).

Louth: J Califf; D Corcoran, D Campbell, D McKenny; E Callaghan, N Sharkey, L Jackson; B Duffy, C Early; C Byrne (0-2), S Mulroy (1-3, 2f), C Downey (0-1); T McEnaney, C Grimes, R Burns.

Subs: J Hughes for McEnaney (46 mins), C Faulkner for Burns (46 mins), D McConnon for Grimes (54 mins), J Clutterbuck for Jackson (61 mins).

Referee: N McKenna (Monaghan)

Westmeath 2-11 Laois 0-11

Goals from Luke Loughlin and Kieran Martin helped Westmeath to a hard-fought win over Laois in O’Moore Park - a result that sees them go joint top of Division 3.

In tricky conditions, Laois played with the breeze in the opening half but their one-point lead at the break, 0-6 to 1-2, was never going to be enough.

Westmeath’s goal in the ninth minute came when Luke Loughlin punched to the net but with Eoin Lowry to the fore with three fine points from play, Laois were in front at half-time.

The sides went score for score in the third quarter but after a Gary Walsh free put Laois 0-9 to 1-5 ahead in the 50th minute, Westmeath took over.

Four points in quick succession from John Heslin, David Lynch, Loughlin and Conor McCormack put them three up and in command.

Laois battled on but Westmeath made sure of the game in injury time when sub Kieran Martin got in for their second goal.

Westmeath: J Daly; J Smith, K Maguire, R Wallace; N Harte, D Giles, J Gonoud; S McCartan, R Connellan; C McCormack (0-1), R O'Toole (0-2), D Lynch (0-1); L Loughlin (1-1), J Heslin (0-3, 2f), A Gardiner (0-3, 1m).

Subs: S Duncan for Harte (54 mins), J Lynam for McCormack (60 mins), K Martin (1-0) for Loughlin (66 mins), D Seery for Lynch (75 mins), R Forde for Gardiner (75 mins).

Laois: D Bolger (0-2, 2f); J Kelly, T Collins, A Mohan; S O'Flynn, J O'Loughlin, G Dillon; K Lillis, J Finn; B Byrne, E Lowry (0-3), P O'Sullivan; M Barry (0-1), E O'Carroll, G Walsh (0-4, 3f).

Subs: D Kavanagh for Collins (blood - 14-17 mins), Kavanagh for Kelly (injured - 50 mins), A Farrell for Finn (53 mins), D O'Reilly for Byrne (57 mins), C Murphy for O'Loughlin (64 mins), R Munnelly (0-1) for Barry (69 mins).

Referee: L Devenney (Mayo)