Compiled by John Fallon
ARMAGH and Dublin both badly needed a win when they clashed at the Box-It Athletic Grounds but in the end they finished 2-11 apiece and now occupy the two relegation spots with two rounds of games left.
Kelly Mallon slotted home two penalties for Armagh but Orlagh Nolan saved Dublin with a haul of 2-8, including a late equalising point.
“It definitely was a game of two halves,” said Dublin joint manager Derek Murray. “We worked really hard to get in a position to maybe win the game in the first half but we made a few decisions in the second we wouldn’t be happy with.”
Armagh manager Greg McGonigle was pleased with the way they fought to get a share of the spoils.
“The main thing for us is it’s going to be a long season and we’ve given ourselves a chance in the league now,” he said.
Cork manager Joe Carroll said he was delighted to get another win in a tight game as last year’s Division 2 finalists continue to set the pace at the top of the Lidl National League Division 1 title race.
Katie Quirke landed the winner with a late free as they saw off Waterford by 1-12 to 3-5 at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.
“Yeah, it is very pleasing,” said Carroll. “I suppose they showed great heart coming towards the end of it there where we had lost what was a six or seven point lead. They drew level and it didn’t look good. But then we got a winning point from Katie again, an excellent free.
“But the pleasing thing about it was we held the ball for the last two minutes and Waterford just couldn’t get their hands in it.
“Even though we conceded a few soft goals, I think we played very well in the second half. Some of our football was exceptionally good. Our forward play in the first half wasn’t great. and I think it was much, much improved. They listened to what we told them at half-time, and it was much improved in the second half. But it would be a concern that we conceded a few goals to let Waterford back into it.”
Cork, the only unbeaten team in Division 1, made the most of Waterford having a player sinbinned to strike 1-5 to 0-1 when they had the extra player with Aoife Healy getting the goal and Quirke finishing with 0-6.
Brid McMaugh struck two goals for Waterford, who have now lost two in a row after initially setting the pace.
“It a bit frustrating and it wasn’t really what we had laid out to do,” said Waterford manager Tomás Mac an tSaoir. “Coming back there at the end was pleasing and the second half was good, but look, we didn’t get the result today and on we go.”
Galway, who defeated Cork in that Division 2 final last year, kept up their challenge with a 1-11 to 1-9 win over reigning champions Kerry in Tralee.
Leanne Coen got the goal for Galway early in the second half to extend their 0-9 to 1-4 interval lead, with Danielle O’Leary getting Kerry’s goal after 18 minutes.
“Kerry is a very difficult place to come to and I don’t think there are too many Galway teams that have gotten results throughout the years so we’re absolutely delighted to get the win,” said Galway manager Daniel Moynihan.
“The first half we played really well and we probably left a few scores behind us. The second half we ground it out and that was probably down to the Kerry girls workrate in particular and the pressure they put on us.”
Kildare gave their hopes of avoiding the drop a big boost when they ousted neighbours Meath by 4-8 to 1-10 for their first win of the campaign.
Gillian Wheeler, Mayah Doyle, Alannah Prizeman and Aoife Murnane got the goals for Kildare as Meath fell to their third defeat of the campaign.
“Players really stood up and took leadership there,” said Kildare manager Pat Sullivan. “We made sure we weren’t going to leave this behind us, but we had to really work today. I think today’s work-rate showed what they’ve put in over the last probably four or five months and where they are now.”
Armagh and Dublin both badly needed a win when they clashed at the Box-It Athletic Grounds but in the end they finished 2-11 apiece and now occupy the two relegation spots with two rounds of games left.
Kelly Mallon slotted home two penalties for Armagh but Orlagh Nolan saved Dublin with a haul of 2-8, including a late equalising point.
“It definitely was a game of two halves,” said Dublin joint manager Derek Murray. “We worked really hard to get in a position to maybe win the game in the first half but we made a few decisions in the second we wouldn’t be happy with.”
Armagh manager Greg McGonigle was pleased with the way they fought to get a share of the spoils.
“The main thing for us is it’s going to be a long season and we’ve given ourselves a chance in the league now,” he said.
In Division 2, Cavan strengthened their position at the head of affairs with victory over Monaghan, as Donegal and Tyrone also kept up their drive for promotion.
Cavan defeated relegation-threatened neighbours Monaghan by 2-9 to 1-9 while Donegal edged out Mayo by a point and Tyrone hit the net four times against Wexford.
In Division 3, there were wins for Fermanagh, Roscommon, Louth and Clare as Leitrim, Wicklow, Carlow and Sligo claimed Division 4 wins.
Results:
Lidl NFL Division 1
Armagh 2-11 Dublin 2-11
Cork 1-12 Waterford 3-5
Galway 1-11 Kerry 1-9
Kildare 4-8 Meath 1-10
Lidl NFL Division 2
Cavan 2-9 Monaghan 1-9
Donegal 0-9 Mayo 0-8
Tyrone 4-9 Wexford 3-8
Tipperary 3-8 Westmeath 0-8
Lidl NFL Division 3
Fermanagh 1-10 Down 2-6
Roscommon 4-4 Laois 0-12
Louth 0-15 Antrim 0-5
Clare 1-12 Limerick 1-8
Lidl NFL Division 4
Leitrim 2-12 Derry 3-8
Wicklow 1-27 Kilkenny 0-0
Carlow 4-13 Longford 0-3
Sligo 2-9 Offaly 1-7
