Mayo are well accustomed to heartbreak and found themselves on the receiving end again as Kildare’s corner-forward Paddy Brophy grabbed a dramatic late winner for the home team in a cracking Allianz League Division One encounter at Newbridge.
Brophy’s injury time point curled between the uprights to give Kildare a 2-19 to 2-18 win to open their league campaign with a victory over last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists.
Kildare lost Paul Cribben to a black card inside 15 minutes and played second fiddle for much of the first-half until a 30th minute goal from Tomas O’Connor galvanised the Lilywhites in a period where they scored 1-4 without reply and they went in leading 1-11 to 0-10 at the break. Mayo lost hugely influential midfielder Aidan O’Shea to a black card just before the half-time whistle.
Mayo got two quickfire goals in the second half from Jason Gibbons - brilliantly finished in the 39th minute after he collected a pass from Adam Gallagher - and then Darren Coen netted, but Kildare responded with a goal from Eoghan O’Flaherty. However, Mayo looked to have salvaged a draw when Kevin McLoughlin kicked his eighth point of the game only for Brophy to pop up with his fine point to secure a Kildare win.
Cork manager Brian Cuthbert got his first season in charge off to a winning start with a comprehensive - in the end - win over Division One newcomers Westmeath at Pairc Ui Rinn. The sides were locked together at 0-5 apiece at the break but Cork dominated the second-half and eventually ran out 0-18 to 0-10 winners.
An unanswered nine-point scoring spree in the second half proved critical as Cork took control. Aidan Walsh was the game’s most influential figure, dominating the area around the middle of the park and central to creating Cork’s momentum with Daniel Goulding helping himself to a haul of seven points.
In Division Two, Meath claimed a four-point win in a high-scoring game with Galway. The Royal County claimed a 3-18 to 4-11 victory, although Meath goalkeeper Paddy O’Rourke’s penalty save from Michael Martin on the stroke of half-time was also important.
Mickey Newman claimed Meath’s opening goal in the opening minute and, after Sean Armstrong hit back with one of his own for Galway, the goal feast was declared with Meath forward Stephen Bray claiming his side’s second goal inside the opening 15 minutes. Martin scored Galway’s second goal in the 25th minute but was guilty of seeing his subsequent spotkick saved by O’Rourke. Galway led 2-6 to 2-4 at half-time.
Galway got off to a flying start to the second half with substitute Tom Flynn grabbing their third goal to stretch the lead to five points but, thereafter, Meath played some fine attacking football in the second-half and scored seven points without reply and a Cillian O’Sullivan goal put them out of touch. A late Adrian Varley goal for Galway proved too late to catch the home team.
Donegal ran out 13-points winners over an outclassed Laois side who were reduced ot 14 men, with the Donegal goals coming from Odhran Mac Niallais and Colm McFadden in a 2-19 to 1-9 success. Michael Murphy helped himself to six points.
Armagh showed their great character to fight back and salvage a draw with Louth in Drogheda. Armagh scored an unanswered 1-5 late on to claim a 1-13 to 0-16 draw while Down and Monaghan also finished level in Newry.
Allianz Football League Division 1
Cork 0-18 Westmeath 0-10
Kildare 2-19 Mayo 2-18
Allianz Football League Division 2
Down 1-11 Monaghan 0-14
Louth 0-16 Armagh 1-13
Meath 3-18 Galway 4-11
Laois 1-09 Donegal 2-19
Allianz Football League Division 3
Sligo 0-15 Limerick 0-13
Cavan 1-12 Fermanagh 0-11
Wexford 1-14 Offaly 0-12
Longford 0-10 Roscommon 0-13
Allianz Football League Division 4
Leitrim 1-11 Antrim 1-06
Wicklow 3-13 London 1-08
Waterford 1-09 Clare 3-10
Carlow 1-08 Tipperary 2-24
