GAA Talk

Sunday, April 12.

After the last series of games were played over the weekend in the National Football League, the Division One outcome resulted in Derry going through to meet Kerry in the Allianz NFL Division One final after beating Donegal on Sunday whilst Kerry overcame Galway to set up a repeat of last years decider. In the process, the defeat of Donegal has sent them down to Division 2 along with hapless Westmeath who were hammered by Dublin and finished the campaign without any points.

Allianz NFL Division One: Derry 0-14 Donegal 0-10

Derry are back in the Allianz NFL Division One final after securing an unconvincing four-point win over Donegal in Maghera, relegating John Joe Doherty’s side in the process.

In a repeat of last year’s final, Derry will once again face Kerry, who beat Galway easily in Tralee, leaving Galway, for so long the leaders of the division, outside the top two.

While Derry hardly sparkled, the truth is they didn’t need to be at their best against a Donegal side who led in the opening minute through a Michael Maguire point, but were always trailing after early scores from Barry McGoldrick and Seamus Bradley.

It was tit-for-tat in the first half, with Eoin Bradley and Maguire exchanging points, as Derry went in slightly ahead, 0-6 to 0-5, at the break.

Christy Toye and Brendan Boyle were impressive in midfield for Donegal, but Enda Muldoon and Patsy Bradley soon negated their impact and the game swung in Derry’s favour.

Derry grabbed the first two points of the second half to extend their lead, before Michael Doherty, who finished with seven points, slotted over a point in the 43rd minute.

The Donegal boss brought Kevin Cassidy and Brendan Devenney on to freshen things up, but it was Derry, through James Kielt and Sean Leo McGoldrick, who edged further ahead.

Michael Murphy had a goal chance on 55 minutes, but his shot was blocked. Doherty and Brian Roper scored two fine points apiece as Donegal briefly rallied but their race was run when corner back Paddy McDaid was yellow carded for a poor tackle with seven minutes left on the clock.

Doherty struck a fine point from play for Donegal with a minute left on the clock to leave just a goal between the sides. However, it was Derry who finished the better, adding a late point to leave them four-point winners.

Dublin 5-22 Westmeath 0-10

Dublin raced into an early lead at Parnell Park and looked unstoppable as they crushed Westmeath with a final scoreline of 5-22 to 0-10.

The goals came from Conal Keaney, Ciaran Burke, Darren Magee, and two from Pat Burke as Pat Gilroy’s side racked up an impressive tally of scores.

Burke and Blaine Kelly were the stand-out performers for the hosts as both are new members on the Dublin panel and boosted their chances of being involved in the Leinster Championship with fine displays in this match.

Kelly got six points, while the return of Alan Brogan to the starting XV was another huge plus as he chipped in with some crucial scores, which came either side of Kevin Bonner being shown a yellow card for a high challenge.

Westmeath tried to scrap their way back into the match and Denis Glennon looked to be their best bet as he converted six points, but he failed to beat Stephen Cluxton with a penalty and that was the end of whatever fightback they had in mind.

Gilroy will be delighted at this 27-point victory that sets Dublin up well going into the defence of their Leinster crown.

Kerry 2-15 Galway 1-11

Kerry denied Galway passage through to the Division One final after beating them 2-15 to 1-11 in Tralee.

The Kingdom will instead face Derry in what will be a repeat of last year’s final, but they have some work to do before then after conceding a number of scores that they will be disappointed about.

Michael Meehan proved to be a constant threat for Galway, although his personal tally of six points was not enough to lead Liam Sammon’s side to the result that they needed.

Paul Galvin and Kieran Donaghy got the goals for Kerry in the second-half after they went in at the break leading by a single point.

There were a number of performances from players in the green and gold that will have pleased Jack O’Connor, especially the determined display registered by Darren O’Sullivan.

Galway kept fighting right to the end, but it wasn’t to be even though Padraic Joyce got a late goal for the visitors.

Mayo 1-11 Tyrone 0-14

Mayo and Tyrone shared the spoils on a 1-11 to 0-14 scoreline at Castlebar on Sunday – a result that ensures both sides retain their Allianz NFL Division One status next year.

In theory, both sides could have been relegated, but Donegal’s defeat to Derry in Maghera, and favourable scoring averages, meant that outcome was never likely to materialise.

Tyrone trailed by a point going into the dying minutes, but Martin Penrose grabbed a late score to give his side a deserved draw.  Indeed, the Red Hands might have filched a win late on but they squandered a scoring opportunity.

Tyrone went into the break 0-7 to 0-2 ahead after they hit a purple patch in the final seven minutes of the half, hitting five points without reply to take control of the game.

Penrose and Sean Cavanagh hit two apiece, with Enda McGinley also on the mark in a remarkable scoring burst.

However, Mayo responded with a goal five minutes after the resumption of play. Aidan O’Shea caused havoc in the Tyrone defence, rounded the full-back and drove the ball home.

The goal spurred the Connacht side into life, with Austin O’Malley and Ronan McGarrity scoring 0-3 apiece from play in the second half.

But Tyrone also found their range, and Davy Harte, Conor Gormley and Sean O’Neill got in on the act to leave the game on a knife-edge going into the final minutes.

In the end, it was down to Penrose, who scored six points in total for the All-Ireland champions, to rescue a point at the death.

Andy Moran had got Mayo off the mark with a well-taken early point. However, O’Shea, star of Mayo’s minor team last year, missed a great chance to put John O’Mahony’s side further ahead. The burly forward blasted the ball off the crossbar when well placed, before punching the rebound off a post.

Ryan Mellon scored the Red Hands’ opener, Austin O’Malley put Mayo ahead again. The game was pockmarked by some awful shooting from both sides, with Mayo hitting nine wides to Tyrone’s six in the first half alone.

But rival managers Mickey Harte and O’Mahony will be more concerned with preserving their top flight status for 2010 ahead of the more important business of the Championship in the summer.