First up is the Connacht Senior Football Chamionship clash between Mayo and New York in Gaelic Park Sunday next 10th May.  John O’Mahony’s Mayo will be strong favourites to come away from the Big Apple with a big win, but the Exiles are keen to cause an upset at their home in the Bronx.

As is rarely the case in Ireland, the New York players will get the chance to line out against their native county. Sunday may see Robert Moran (Moy Davitts), Dermot Keane (Knockmore), Declan Reilly (Castlebar Mitchels) and John McNicholas (Kiltimagh) tackle their fellow county men.  Five of the panel are New York born, while former Kerry underage star Dan Doona could also make a pitch appearance. On the other side, Mayo’s Tom Parsons could line out against the side he represented as a teenager.

Larry McCarthy, the New York chairman, believes that due to the Irish recession more people are returning to America for work. “Things have begun to swing in the other direction, but only slightly. And, not enough yet to really impact on the state of New York football. But this winter, certainly, there was talk of players coming back out here, instead of going home, and that hasn’t been the case for quite a few years.” He believes the 12 New York underage football clubs are going to be the future of GAA state side.

Mayo manager John O’Mahony has already named his team for his side’s first big test of the year. O’ Mahony has introduced an injection of young blood to the team, bringing in Ger Cafferkey at full-back, Kevin McLoughlin at corner-back, Donal Vaughan at wing-back and last year’s minor star Aidan O’Shea for their first Championship starts.

Cafferkey won his last under-21 All-Ireland in 2006 and since then has been beset by multiple injuries. The Westerners finished the National League campaign in impressive fashion, with a hard-fought victory over neighbouring enemy Galway and a draw with All-Ireland champions Tyrone, and so will travel to the Big Apple in high spirits.

Trevor Mortimer will captain his home side for the first time and the Shrule/Glencorrib club-man will be eager to show that he is capable of doing things his own way. After proving himself in the Allianz National Football League with a string of fine performances, he will look to repay the faith his manager has placed in him.

Kenneth O’Malley, Seamus O’Sherea, Mark Ronaldson and Conor Mortimer are all out due to exams and injury. Mortimer is recovering from a broken wrist he suffered in the Allianz League game of their campaign against Tyrone. Despite missing four players, O’Mahony is looking forward to the game. “I’m really looking forward to the Championship. I think if we get an injury-free run, work hard, show a unity of purpose and have a good attitude, we’ll make an impact.”

The majority are backing Mayo for what they reckon will be an easy win. Although with New York’s Irish assets, it won’t be over until the final whistle has blown. This is something O’Mahony is not taking for granted. If Mayo win, they will go on to face the winners of Leitrim-Roscommon in the semi-final.

The game will take place at 3pm local time and 8pm Irish time. The team that travelled to Ireland in 1984 and won a one-off tournament for overseas units will be honored at half-time. Players such as Dublin’s Fran Ryder, Derry’s Paddy Crozier and Cork’s Billy Morgan were all members of the 1984 team.

Mayo: D Clarke, L O’Malley, G Cafferkey, K McLoughlin, P Gardiner, T Howley, D Vaughan, T Parsons, R McGarrity, P Harte, T Mortimer, A Dillon, A Moran, A O’Shea, B Moran.

New York: TBC

Verdict: Mayo

Association President Criostóir Ó Cuana has called on members everywhere to engage with their local clubs next Sunday.

Clubs have been encouraged to celebrate the GAA’s century and a quarter anniversary by organising events within their communities which underline their importance to their respective areas.

A variety of different initiatives have been organised by units with a special emphasis on games, culture and community on a day when no club fixtures have been scheduled.

The GAA President, who is a Youghal clubman, joined forces with Ard Stiúrthoir Páraic Duffy and Iar-Uachtarán Nioclás Ó Braonáin to shine a light on their own club allegiances and he urged members everywhere to make a special effort to ensure that Sunday is a memorable day that places our clubs – some of whom are also celebrating their 125th anniversaries – at the heart of the Association’s 125 calendar.

He said: “Our home club is where it begins for us all and for that reason it occupies a special place in us all. It’s where we are first introduced to the games and it very quickly assumes a badge of identity that in many cases comes second only to our family allegiances.

“Sunday is all about highlighting the incredible work that our clubs do in every community in Ireland and re-affirming the place of the club at the very heart of the organisation.

“Some of our older club units are also celebrating their 125th anniversaries, which is testament to the massive and long standing contributions that they make to the fabric of the communities they interact with and serve so well.

“I acknowledge the superb work overseen by our volunteers in clubs everywhere and hope that the GAA will be as well served by its members in the years ahead as it has been since its inception back in 1884.”

Kilkenny’s Richie Power and Kerry’s Tommy Walsh have been named the recipients of the Vodafone GAA Player of the Month award for April 2009

Power took the hurlers’ award after helping the Cats to the final of Division One of the National Hurling League, in which they were crowned champions on Sunday. The Carrickshock ace was a major player for Brian Cody’s awesome side until picking up an injury, his hat-trick against Cork just one example of how lethal an attacker he can be.

Kerins O’Rahilly’s man Walsh was part of the Kerry team that were crowned National Football League Division One kings in April, the towering forward leading the line for Jack O’Connor’s charges in the final against Derry and also notching a goal in their previous outing against Galway.

The entire Cork team should go out and buy lotto tickets after this result bestowed utter heartbreak and robbed  Down of a title they seemed to have in the bag.  Cork were one-point winners of the Cadbury’s All-Ireland U21 football final over a gallant Down side at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise on Monday 4th May 2009.

Man-of-the-match, Colm O’Driscoll, was the hero for the Rebels as he pounced on a spilled effort by Down ‘keeper Gavin Joyce with seconds to go to finish the ball to the net.

Cadbury’s All-Ireland U21 football final
Cork 1-13 Down 2-9

Cork manager John Cleary admitted before the match that his side had ridden their luck on a number of occasions prior to reaching the final but that if they won by a point again on Sunday, with a bit of luck, he would not mind.

That was exactly what happened but it was incredibly hard luck on Pete McGrath’s Down who looked to have the match wrapped up as the clock moved into added time.

The opening half was dominated by Cork as their sheer physicality and intensity meant they were three points up at the break on a 0-8 to 0-5 scoreline.

Cork full-forward David Goold and the captain of the side, Colm O’Neill, registered seven of the eight first-half points between them, both from play and placed balls.

Castlehaven’s Mark Collins was the only other Rebel to get on the scoresheet in the opening 30 minutes; his fine effort coming on 12 minutes.

For their part, Down would have been happy to be within three of Cork at the break but in truth it was frees that kept them in it, with Paul Devlin and Paul McComiskey responsible for all the Mourne scores.

In the second-half, the wind was in the Ulster champions favour and they quickly took advantage of it when Paul McComiskey put over a fine individual score with only four minutes gone.

But a feature of the second-half was how Cork responded to Down’s scores and Mark Collins did just that a minute later with an inspirational point from out on the wing for the Rebels.

That score left Cork three points ahead but Down were to register the next two points; one from a McComiskey free and then a beautiful effort from midfielder, Peter Fitzpatrick, from out the field.

Down were now within a point of their opponents and two minutes later they hit the front when Eamon Toner goaled for the Mourne men. A long ball, flicked on by Devlin, dropped beautifully into the half-forward’s path and he crashed it past Anthony Seymour.

Cork, in the form of the brilliant O’Neill, responded immediately to level the scores before a Goold free put the men from the south ahead again.

The game was in the melting pot now and it was going to take a moment of brilliance to win it. That brilliant moment, though not that crucial in the end, came in the 54th minute when Down captain, Timmy Hanna, rattled the Cork net for the second time.

Hanna had been involved at the early stages of a sweeping Down move and he continued his run before latching on to a pass from Conor Maginn to put his side two points ahead with five minutes to play.

But crucially O’Neill responded again for Cork with another equally good point from play to put the bare minimum between them.

With two minutes to go it seemed Peter Fitzpatrick’s exceptional effort from out the field would seal it for Down but a two-point lead is a dangerous lead at any stage in a match, especially heading into added time.

That proved to be the case for Down as Aidan Walsh’s stinging effort was too hot for Joyce to handle leaving O’Driscoll to gleefully sweep the ball into the net in what was to prove to be the last act of a gripping U21 decider.

Cork: Anthony Seymour; Seán McLoughlin, Liam Jennings, Noel Galvin; Conor O’Driscoll, Aidan Walsh, Bart Daly; Chris O’Donovan, Kevin O’Driscoll; Ciarán Sheehan, Mark Collins, Colm O’Driscoll; Colm O’Neill (capt), David Goold, Paul Honohan.

Down: Gavin Joyce; Mark Digney, Colm Murney, Damien Turley; Timmy Hanna (capt), John Fitzpatrick, Joseph Murphy; Michael Magee, Peter Fitzpatrick; Eamon Toner, Conor Maginn, Jamie O’Reilly; Paul Devlin, Paul McComiskey, Conor Poland.

After a disastrous National Footaball League camapaign in which they never won a game, Westmeath’s hopes of making an impact in the Championship have been given a boost with the news that Damien Healy has returned from Australia.

In a further boost to manager Tomas O’Flatharta, inspirational midfielder Martin Flanagan has returned to training after recovering from a serious injury.

It was thought that Healy would miss the entire season due to his travels, but he is back in the country and will link up with his team-mates at training next week.

Fergal Wilson, who was suffering from an ankle problem, is back to full health, while Dessie Dolan is also on the verge of a return to training.

Meanwhile, Joe Higgins is expected to make his first appearance of the year for Laois in a challenge game against Offaly on Monday.

Higgins had surgery on a hip problem and sat out the entire National League.

Westmeath hope that the return of these players will rejuvenate the team but we think that they need maybe another ten players or more of better quality than those who are there at present! Add in a new manager while you’re at it!

The small Tipperary village of Grangemockler takes centre stage in the GAA’s 125^th anniversary celebrations on the weekend of May 16/17.

A weekend of events is being organised by Grangemockler, the home club of Michael Hogan who was buried in the village following the events of Bloody Sunday 1920.

The celebrations start with a commemorative mass in memory of Michael Hogan which will take place in St Mary’s Parish Church in Grangemockler at 7.00pm and a wreath-laying service directly after mass.

A historical talk on the history of the GAA and the events of Bloody Sunday will also take place on Saturday evening at 8.30pm in the new Sports Hall.  Speakers include historians Vincent Comerford, Prof. Paul Rouse & William Murphy.

The highlight of the weekend’s activities takes place on the Sunday with a commemorative plaque to Michael Hogan being unveiled by Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Criostóir Ó Cuana at 6.00pm.

Two exciting challenge matches take place either side of the unveiling with a football match between great rivals Kerry and Dublin at 4.30pm. Jack O’Connor and Pat Gilroy will again lock horns following their recent exciting league draw. The second match between Brian Cody’s triple All-Ireland winners Kilkenny and Liam Sheedy’s Tipperary will commence at 6.30pm.

These two matches come at a crucial time for teams that find themselves at an advanced stage of their championship preparations and the respective management teams will be anxious to put the finishing touches to their championship line ups.

Admission to the games is by cash payment, adults €15, senior citizens €10 and under 16’s free of charge.

A great weekend is promised for young and old with the emphasis on the pride and passion of club and community which is central to the ongoing success of the GAA.

Tyrone sharpshooter Stephen O’Neill is desperately hoping to be fit in time for his side’s Ulster opener.

The All-Ireland champions take on provincial crown holders Armagh in five weeks’ time in an eagerly-anticipated clash and O’Neill, who made a late cameo for the Red Hand last season after being away from the panel for much of it, could struggle to make it.

O’Neill missed nearly all of Tyrone’s National Football League campaign with a knee injury and his treatment has not been as positive as had been hoped, but manager Mickey Harte is hopeful he can still be ready in time to face Peter McDonnell’s charges.

“Stephen is not ruled out of Armagh,” the Tyrone boss was quoted as saying by The Irish Star.

“The knee injury he picked up in the Dublin game is proving more difficult to get rid of than he had hoped.

“He is working on it and he joins us from time to time. He has to manage it and that’s what’s going on at the minute. In my opinion, he would still be available for the Armagh game. I’d be very hopeful that he would.”

Meanwhile, Tyrone talisman Brian Dooher is also in a battle to be fit for the game on May 30 as he continues his recovery from the groin strain that saw him miss all of the NFL.

Dromore defenders Sean O’Neill and Cathal McCarron, who were given straight red cards against Moy at the weekend, could be banned for the Armagh tie if their suspensions ruun for beyond four weeks.

Cork underlined their status as the biggest potential threat to Kerry and Tyrone’s All-Ireland dominance by claiming the Allianz NFL Division Two title with a comfortable five-point win over Monaghan at Croke Park on Sunday April 26th 2009

A powerful first-half display, which gave the Rebels a six-point lead at the interval, meant Monaghan were left playing catch-up for most of the game. Seamus McEnaney’s men threatened a late revival thanks to Tommy Freeman’s four second half points but a James Masters goal with five minutes left on the clock ensured that the trophy was destined for Leeside.

Allianz NFL Division Two Final: Cork 1-14 Monaghan 0-12

Once again, Cork’s nascent attack proved impossible to deal with. Counihan’s team are developing a reputation for playing an eye-catching brand of football and they will have won a few more fans with another stylish performance.

Daniel Goulding was Cork’s main attacking threat, scoring five points and giving Dessie Mone, who was replaced after 28 minutes, a torrid time. Indeed, all Cork’s forwards except Paul O’Flynn got on the score sheet while Monaghan proved utterly reliant on Finlay and Tommy Freeman.

Tommy Freeman started well, taking Anthony Lynch for a tour of the left flank of the pitch, but the Monaghan marksman, perhaps unwisely, opted to shoot from a tight angle and the ball drifted wide.

Cork got off the mark after just two minutes, when Paul Kerrigan served notice of his immense talent with a fine run down the Hogan Stand side of the pitch before slotting the ball over with his weaker foot. Goulding then put Conor Counihan’s side into a two-point lead with a well-struck free from the ’45 mark.

Monaghan were level a minute later when Mark Downey combined well with Dick Clerkin, turned Ray Carey and tapped over. However, Monaghan failed to build on that lead despite owning the ball in the middle of the field. Paul Finlay struck two wides inside a minute and was guilty of dropping what seemed like an easy dead ball opportunity into Alan Quirke’s hands.

Cork caught the bug and were equally profligate, with Masters skewing a scoring chance into Alan O’Connor’s hands before the midfielder

Cork came desperately close to scoring the opening goal of the game on 13 minutes. Nicholas Murphy snaffled the ball from a thicket of players and offloaded to Noel O’Leary, who saw Paddy Kelly steaming through on goal and fed the Ballincollig man with a clever hand pass. Just as Kelly loaded his right foot, he was foiled at the last minute by Dick Clerkin’s heroic block.

Donncha O’Connor dropped over the resultant ’45 and Goulding added another from play to leave Cork 0-5 to 0-1 ahead. The Rebels then missed another glorious goal chance after some neat interplay between Kelly and midfielder Alan O’Connor put the St Colm’s man through on goal, but, once again, the chance was missed as the shot corkscrewed off his foot and went wide.

Grahan Canty, the Cork captain, bailed out his team-mate when he sliced through the Monaghan defence and popped the ball over for his first score of the game - one that underlined Cork’s dominance in the opening minutes.

Seamus McEnaney’s side were struggling badly, but Conor McManus ended a period of 17 minutes without a score when Tommy Freeman fed him on the right touchline and he sent over a sweet, curling effort.

However, the Cork attack was proving the more potent and tormented Monaghan’s usually watertight defence. Michael Shields, who shadowed the roaming Rory Woods all the way out to midfield, sent an angled pass into Donncha O’Connor, who passed to Goulding. The result, as always, was the same. Goulding, Cork’s biggest attacking threat, turned Dessie Mone with ease for another fine point.

The Monaghan boss was forced to take urgent action and he withdrew Dessie Mone, who was tortured by Goulding for the opening 28 minutes, replacing him with his brother, John Paul.

Ger Spillane, who raided from wing-back, added another point for the Rebels before the Farney men passed up a goal chance that would have – undeservedly, it must be said – put them tight back in the game. Damien Freeman, the Mongahan wing-back, won the ball on the ’21-yard line and he found Downey, who was foiled by a brilliant Alan Quirke save. McManus slotted over the ensuing ’45, but Cork, and especially Goulding were not finished just yet.

The Eire Og man drew a foul from his new marker, JP Mone and Donncha O’Connor pointed from the placed ball before the Cork number 15 rounded off a fine first-half display with another effort from play, his fourth of the half, to give Counihan’s side a comfortable 0-10 to 0-4 lead.

Monaghan were first out of the blocks in the second half, with substitute Raymond Ronaghan beating Shields to a high ball, which dropped to Tommy Freeman and Monaghan’s danger man beat Lynch to the ball to register his first score of the game. Finlay struck a superb free from his hands a minute later and suddenly things weren’t looking so desperate for Monaghan.

They should have been. Cork’s accuracy and slick forward play were but a memory in the first ten minutes of the second half. Goulding, Kerrigan and Alan O’Connor all hit wides when they really should have extended Cork’s lead.

Tommy Freeman was by now getting the better of Lynch, and he beat the veteran Cork defender to a ball on 49 minutes, turned and pointed to leave just three points between the sides.

Counihan, the Cork boss, took immediate action. Pearse O’Neill and John Hayes, two vital cogs in the Rebels’ run to the All-Ireland semi-final last year, were brought off the bench, with Paul O’Flynn and Donncha O’Connor hauled ashore after relatively quiet afternoons.

O’Neills’s impact was immediate. The big Aghada man, so often an inspiration for the Leesiders, fisted over within three minutes of his introduction before Goulding added his fifth of the day and Paddy Kelly his first to give Cork a six-point buffer.

Damien Freeman had at that stage left the field for a yellow card offence and Monaghan were in trouble, but Finlay and Tommy Freeman gave them hope with two well-taken points inside a minute.

Monaghan threatened to mount a comeback, but this Cork side proved they are better than the hammering they took in Scotstown against the same opposition last month when they snatched the only goal of the game with five minutes left on the clock. Kerrigan, as is his wont, carried the ball along the end line and picked out Masters, who appeared to be outnumbered just outside the small square. However, the Nemo Rangers man somehow found the space to get his shot away, beating Shane Duffy with a drop-kicked effort.

Tommy Freeman and Finlay struck late points for Monaghan but the goal had broken their spirit and left them with too much to do in the closing minutes. Cork, in the end, were too strong and Christy Cooney, the new GAA President was afforded the honour of presenting the National League Division Two trophy to the captain of his home county, Graham Canty.

Cork: A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, A Lynch, N O’Leary, G Canty (0-1), G Spillane (0-1); A O’Connor (0-1), N Murphy; P O’Flynn, P Kelly (0-1), P Kerrigan (0-1); J Masters (1-0), D O’Connor (0-3, 0-1 ’45, 0-1f), D Goulding (0-5, 0-1f).

Subs: P O’Neill (0-1) for P O’Flynn (’49), J Hayes for D O’Connor (’51), F Goold for A O’Connor (’66), C McCarthy for D Goulding (’70), J Miskella for P Kelly (’70).

Monaghan: S Duffy, D Mone, V Corey, D McArdle (0-1), D Freeman, G McQuaid, D Hughes; D Clerkin, O Lennon; C McManus (0-2, 0-1 ‘45), P Finlay (0-4, 0-2f), S Gollogly; M Downey (0-1), R Woods, T Freeman (0-4, 0-1f).

Subs: JP Mone for D Mone (’28), R Ronaghan for S Gollogly (HT), C Hanratty for for O Lennon (’49), G McEnaney for D Freeman (Yellow Card) (’50), K Hughes for M Downey (’55), S McAleer for R Woods (’67).

Normal service is resumed, one might say, in the National Football League as Kerry claimed their third Allianz National League title – a record 19th in total - under boss Jack O’Connor with a three-point win over Derry in the Division One final at Croke Park on Sunday last April 26th 2009 in front of a miserable 20,000 attendance that made Croke Park look like ghost.  And, of course, of the four counties on view, Kerry brought the fewest supporters.  A League final to Kerry supporters is akin to a mere training spin - more would show up in Killarney to watch a training session than take the train or road to Croke Park and watch them win a secondary competition.

In doing so, they gained a measure of revenge over Derry, who beat them in last year’s final. Kerry, of course, were under different management back then, but now look best placed to challenge All-Ireland champions Tyrone after an unbeaten league campaign that threw up a number of new faces and potential stars.

For Damian Cassidy, the Derry manager, the defeat will not be met with complete disappointment as league titles have never been a harbinger of success later in the year in the Oak Leaf County. His side competed well throughout; indeed they looked the more potent side in the opening quarter until their talisman, Paddy Bradley, was forced off with blurred vision after 23 minutes.

The Derry full-forward did re-appear later in the game, but his influence was not what it might have been, with the scoring burden transferring over to his brother, Eoin, who top-scored for his side with  five points.

Kerry will take comfort from the fact that they won pulling up in the end, but they were far from their best in a disappointing game. They scored the only goal of the game and it proved the difference between the sides in the end. Donncha Walsh, who started for the Kingdom at wing-forward in place of Paul Galvin (groin strain), latched onto a superb pass from Michael Quirke and fired home after just nine minutes.

There was little in the game until the final quarter, when substitute Bryan Sheahan scored three late frees. Indeed the winning margin could have been even greater, but Colm Cooper, the stand-out player on the day with six points (0-3f), opted to pop over a point that left four between the sides when he might easily have goaled after Sean O’Sullivan’s fisted effort had come back off the post following the Cromane man’s fine run.

Derry had established an early two-point lead. Inevitably, it was Paddy Bradley who scored the first point of the game. He beat Tom O’Sullivan to a quick ball into the Derry attack and swung the ball over the bar over with ease.

Chrissy McKaigue, a late addition to the Derry attack, doubled their lead after Tommy Walsh was guilty of hitting two early wides for the Kingdom. It need not have mattered as a goal followed after just nine minutes.

Michael Quirke fielded a high ball on the edge of the square and the basketball star transferred the ball immediately to Donncha Walsh, who side-footed delightfully past Barry Gillis to give Kerry the lead. Eoin Bradley then levelled the game with his first of the day, the Bradley brothers already threatening to run riot in attack.

Tomás O Sé nudged Kerry ahead again before Paddy Bradley responded with a free. The football was open and the scores came thick and fast in what was the last game under the experimental rules.

Cooper chipped in with a trademark catch and shot on the run, before Declan O’Sullivan, who shrugged off an injury to take his place in the team, saw his effort come off the inside of the post and sneak over to put Kerry 1-3 to 0-4 ahead after 17 minutes.

Derry were dealt a cruel blow after just 23 minutes, when Paddy Bradley was forced off the field through injury. Minutes earlier, he landed heavily after crashing into his brother, Eoin, when contesting for a loose ball. James Kielt, the rising star of Derry football, was brought into the Derry attack in his place.

Tommy Walsh put Kerry’s next score on a plate for Cooper after the Young Footballer of the Year won a high ball and fed his partner in crime in the inside forward line. The Kerins O’Rahilly’s man was causing havoc by now and could have grabbed a second goal for Jack O’Connor’s side but took the sensible option and blasted over after getting the better of Kevin McCloy.

Kerry seemed to be playing within themselves and every time they looked like stretching ahead, they allowed the Derry attack the space and time to fashion scores. Paul Murphy profited from some slack marking after 31 minutes, the centre-forward finding his range with his left foot to level the game.

Cooper and Walsh were on target again for Kerry, before Eoin Bradley had the last say in the first-half, grabbing his fourth point of the half - his second from play – to leave Derry trailing 1-7 to 0-9 at the break.

The second half took some time to catch fire, mainly due to a number of injuries on each side. Michael Quirke, the Kerry midfielder, took a heavy knock and was forced off, with Darragh O Se coming on in his place after 42 minutes.

Derry were given an unexpected boost when Paddy Bradley re-appeared and came on in place of Brian Mullan. All the stoppages took the edge off the game and we had to wait almost seven minutes before Cooper grabbed the first score of the half – a free kick after Kevin McCloy had barged into Donncha Walsh.

Tomas O Se edged Kerry three points clear with his second point of the game after Cooper had found cleverly spotted the wing-back’s run and delivered a precise foot pass into his path. The Kerry crowd were given a further boost when Tadhg Kennelly was introduced for his first appearance in a Kerry jersey – the realisation of a dream for the Listowel man after his late father, Tim, had graced the Jones’s Road venue so many times in the past.

Enda Lynn and Mark Lynch reduced the deficit for the Oak Leaf with a pair of scores from play inside a minute. Cooper and Lynch traded frees and Kerry led by a point, 1-10 to 0-12, with 13 minutes left.

Bryan Sheahan, who was by now on as substitute, took over the free-taking duties and he kicked two points from frees, with Lynch, once again, responding for Damian Cassidy’s side.

But Kerry, who brought Daniel Bohane and Aidan O’Shea on late in the game, started to pull away in the final minutes. Aidan O’Mahony popped up from centre-back to finish off a move in which Kennelly and Sheahan were heavily involved.

Kennelly had already proven his worth to the Kerry cause when, minutes earlier, he was taken down after a powerful run and Sheahan had pointed from close range. Sheahan and Seamus Bradley traded scores before Cooper, a menace at corner forward all day, had a glorious goal chance, but used his head to leave four points between the sides.

Eoin Bradley did score a late point from play – his fifth of the match – but it was to be the Kingdom and Jack O’Connor’s day.

Kerry: D Murphy; P Reidy, T O’Sullivan, K Young; T O Se (0-2), A O’Mahony (0-1), T Griffin; A Maher, M Quirke; D Walsh (1-0), Declan O’Sullivan (0-1), Darran O’Sullivan; C Cooper (0-6, 0-3f), K Donaghy, T Walsh (0-2).

Subs: D O Sé for M Quirke (’42), T Kennelly for D Walsh (’46), B Sheahan (0-3, 0-3f) for D O’Sullivan (’49), D Moran for A Maher (’49), D O’Sullivan for K Donaghy (’58), D Bohane for T Griffin (’62), S O’Sullivan for D O’Sullivan (’65), A O’Shea for P Reidy (’72).

Derry: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McLoy, G O’Kane; P Cartin, B McGoldrick, S L McGoldrick; F Doherty, J Diver; E Lynn (0-1), P Murphy (0-1), C McKaigue (0-1); E Bradley (0-5, 0-2f), P Bradley (0-1,), M Lynch (0-4, 0-3f).

Subs: J Kielt (0-1, 0-1f) for P Bradley (’23), P Bradley for B Mullan (’39), D McBride for G O’Kane (’47), S Bradley (0-1) for P Murphy (’49), R Dillon for D McBride (Yellow Card ’68).

2008/9 has been a great period for Tipperary football and Sean Carey sealed it competely as the matchwinning hero as his point in the 90th minute gave Tipperary the NFL Division 3 title after a pulsating decider in Pearse Park in Longford on Saturday evening last 25th April.

The sides were level on eleven occasions in a gripping affair that required extra-time to secure an outcome. But it was Tipperary who emerged victorious with Carey punching over a point in the dying moments of the game.

National Football League Division Three Final: Tipperary 0-18 Down 1-14

Down made five changes to their starting lineup beforehand, with ace forward Brendan Coulter along with U21 duo Peter Fitzpatrick and Paul McCumiskey amongst those sitting on the bench. It was one of the players drafted in who notched the opening score of the game, Brendan McArdle converting in the 4th minute. But Tipperary responded well with James Tierney and Barry Grogan showing coolness in converting frees to push them ahead, 0-2 to 0-1 by the 8th minute.

Those scores settled Tipperary’s nerves but sixty seconds later Down rocked the Premier challenge when Ronan Murtagh rolled a shot low to the corner of the net. Down built on that score by generating plenty chances but their shooting left them down. In contrast Tipperary were accurate and points by Brian Mulvihill and Tierney had the sides level 1-1 to 0-4 by the 21st minute.

Down moved back in front courtesy of captain Dan Gordon but Tipperary were moving well and could have goaled in the 25th minute, only for Barry Grogan to lash a penalty over the bar after he had been fouled by Luke Howard. Gaining confidence Tipperary went two ahead with a pair of splendid points by full-forward Brian Coen. Yet by the interval the Mourne men had regained parity once more, thanks to pointed efforts from Murtagh and Aidan Carr.

The tight nature of the game continued early in the second-half. Aidan Carr tapped over a 40th minute free for Down but a lovely score by Brian Mulvihill for Tipperary levelled it again. Brian Coen landed his third point of the match to put Tipperary in front but a Conor Magee score tied the sides at 1-6 to 0-9 by the 45th minute.

However Tipperary then took over and enjoyed a purple patch in front of goal. Substitute Damian O’Brien, Tierney and wing-back Christopher Aylward all found their range to send the Premier county 0-12 to 1-6 ahead by the 54th minute. Down’s reply was instant Dan Gordon and Daniel Hughes blasting points to reduce the gap down to one, and centre-forward John Boyle left them locked together 1-9 to 0-12 by the 60th minute.

The momentum lay with Down but they struggled to make it show, wasting good chances for points. Tipperary took advantage to forge ahead through a Grogan free yet the impressive Daniel Hughes ensured extra-time would be required with a 67th minute point.

Extra-time unfolded in a similar fashion to the rest of the action, the sides staying close to each other on the scoreboard. Aidan Carr converted a free to push Down in front, Tipperary replied with fine scores from Brian Coen and John Cagney that put them one ahead before a Carr free in the 78th minute left it 1-12 to 0-15.  But Down went in at half-time of that additional period in the ascendancy thanks to a brilliant score by full-back Conor Garvey.

Tipperary moved ahead in the second-half of extra-time thanks to two frees by Barry Grogan but a brilliant 89th minute score by Aidan Carr left them level at 0-17 to 1-14. Yet there was still time for more drama with Carey proving the hero.

Scorers for Tipperary: B Grogan 0-5 (0-4f, 0-1 pen), B Coen 0-4, J Tierney 0-3 (0-2f), B Mulvihill 0-2, D O’Brien, C Aylward, J Cagney, S Carey 0-1 each.

Down: A Carr 0-5 (0-4f), R Murtagh 1-1, D Gordon, D Hughes 0-2 each, B McArdle, C Magee, J Boyle, C Garvey 0-1 each.

TIPPERARY: P Fitzgerald; C Morrissey, C McDonald, A Morrissey; B Fox, H Coghlan, C Aylward; G Hannigan, B Jones; S Carey, N Fitzgerald, B Mulvihill; J Tierney, B Coen, B Grogan. Subs: R Costigan for A Morrissey (half-time), D O’Brien for N Fitzgerald (41), C Higgins for C Morrissey (55), J Cagney for Mulvihill (65), K Mulryan for B Jones (65), A Moloney for Coen (inj) (67), Coen for Tierney (70), M Phelan for Fox (inj) (80), E Hanrahan for Aylward (inj) (90).

Yellow Cards:

DOWN: M McAllister; C McGovern, C Garvey, L Howard; A Carr, P Turley, D Rooney; D Gordon, S Kearney; B McArdle, J Boyle, R Murtagh; C Magee, D Hughes, R Sexton. Subs: J Ireland for McArdle (half-time), D Rafferty for Turley (yellow) (43), M Cole for Rafferty (yellow) (53), P Murphy for Ireland (85)

Yellow Cards: Peter Turley (42), Damian Rafferty (53)

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath)