GAA round-up
The Division 1 final of the National Football League will be an all Ulster affair after Tyrone and Cavan today qualified for the showdown on April 28th.
Tyrone’s masterful organisation and application proved the undoing of reigning league champions Mayo at Enniskillen. They ran out comfortable winners on a scoreline of 3-12 to 0-11.
Tyrone, who narrowly defeated Cavan in last year’s Ulster final, finished the game with 14 men after corner back Brian Robinson was sent off. Nevertheless, Tyrone led by a stunning 10 points at the break.
Second half goals from the enterprising Stephen O’Neill and Colin Holmes put the result beyond doubt and Tyrone eased off the pressure.
Mayo hit a succession of points late in the game but the speed and fine execution of Tyrone’s play had set the champions a stiff task from the outset - one they could find no solution to.
Spectators were treated to a spectacular scoring feast in Mullingar as Cavan and Roscommon served up eight goals between them during their pulsating semi-final.
The Cavan full forward line was simply awesome and etched their mark on the Roscommon defence early on. Full forward Jason Reilly found the net inside the first minute.
From there on it simply rained goals and Roscommon dug out the perfect reply moments later when John Dunning fisted the ball home. Cavan replied with goals from Peter Reilly and Mickey Graham and led 3-8 to 2-5 at the break.
Roscommon reappeared more determined and were brought right back into the contest when the impressive Nigel Dineen fisted the ball home early in the second half.
But Cavan were far from finished and killed the contest off with goals from Peter Reilly and Graham.
Laois caused the shock of the day by defeating Armagh to reach the Division 2 final. They will play Kerry in that final after Paidi O'Se's team beat Meath in Limerick.
In the National Hurling League, Tipperary kept alive their hopes of winning back-to-back titles with a five point (4-13 to 1-17) defeat of Galway at Semple Stadium.
The game, however, was overshadowed by Galway forward Mark Kerins’ decision not to travel to Thurles despite being selected by manager Noel Lane.
Kerins - a brother of dual star Alan - apparently refused to play in a show of solidarity with his brother who was dropped from the squad because of his refusal to stop playing football for the Galway team.
Tipperary were soon into their stride and had opened up a considerable lead inside 15 minutes. The contest looked all but over at half-time as Nicky English’s side took to the dressing room 2-10 to 0-2 infront - Lar Corbett and John O’Brien providing the goals.
Galway, however, made more of the contest after the restart and clawed their way into contention. Eugene Cloonan, so often the focal point of attack for the Tribesmen, had at one stage steered Noel Lane’s side to within three points of their opponents.
But Brian O’Meara secured Tipperary’s place in the semi-final when kicking the ball to the back of the Galway net late in the game.
Earlier at the Thurles venue, Mark Keane inspired Limerick to a NHL semi-final spot after Eamonn Cregan’s side trounced Clare 0-23 to 0-9.
Limerick’s supreme free-taker rattled over a splendid 11 points in a game where Clare failed to rise to the championship pace set by their opponents.
Limerick, who finished the game with 14 players after Sean O’Connor was dismissed for a second bookable offence, dominated the contest from start to finish and held a six point advantage at half-time.
Brian Begley, Ollie Moran and Barry Foley stretched Limerick’s advantage in the second half and at that stage the result never looked in doubt.
Clare’s misery was compounded late in the game when star player Jamsie O’Connor sustained an ankle injury.
RESULTS
NFL Division 1 Semi-finals
Tyrone 3-12 Mayo 0-11
Cavan 5-13 Roscommon 3-12
NFL Division 2 Semi-finals
Laois 0-12 Armagh 0-8
Kerry 0-11 Meath 0-8
NHL Division 1 Quarter-finals
Limerick 0-23 Clare 0-9
Tipperary 4-13 Galway 1-17
NHL Division 1 Relegation play-off
Dublin 2-16 Derry 5-6
Offaly 0-16 Meath 0-14
NHL Division 2 Semi-finals
Down 1-17 Wicklow 3-7
Kerry 3-15 Kildare 2-12
NHL Division 2 Relegation play-off
Carlow 2-24 Roscommon 2-16 (a.e.t)