COMPILED BY JOHN FALLON
It couldn’t be any tighter at the top of Division 3 in the Lidl Ladies National Football League with three teams level on points after three rounds of game.
Clare and Roscommon shared the spoils in a top of the table clash in Ennis, while Offaly’s win over Louth means they are also on seven points at the summit of Division 3.
Elsewhere in Division 3, there were one-point victories for Down and Wexford, with Sligo and Antrim now occupying the bottom two relegation places heading towards the midway point in the competition.
Roscommon led by 1-6 to 0-2 at the break in Ennis after Aisling Hanly found the net but Clare hit back on the resumption with Fidelma Marrinan getting a goal and she also ensured a share of the spoils when she landed a late point as it finished 1-7 apiece.
Offaly trailed by 2-7 to 1-4 against Louth in the Darver Centre of Excellence, with Niamh Rice and Kate Flood finding the net for Louth. But Offaly got on top after the restart and a goal from a penalty from Róisín Cockram and another goal from Ciara Walsh secured a 3-9 to 2-11 win to keep the pressure on Clare and Roscommon at the top of the table.
Wexford secured their second win of the campaign with a Catríona Murray proving the decisive score in a 1-3 to 0-5 win, after Antrim led 0-2 to 0-1 at the end of a low-scoring opening half.
Down, having led by 0-6 to 1-2 at the break, got their first win of the season when they defeated Sligo by 1-10 to 1-9, with Natasha Ferris shooting the winner with a late free after Niamh McGrath had earlier found the net.
In Division 4, in the top of the table clash, Fermanagh got the better of Leitrim to occupy top spot and maintain their promotion push.
Limerick and Longford drew, while there were wins for Wicklow and Carlow.
Eimear Smyth struck the only goal of the game in Fermanagh’s 1-9 to 0-9 win over Leitrim, after they went in 1-5 to 0-5 ahead at the break.
Wicklow, leading by 1-4 to 1-2 at the interval after Sinead McGettigan found the net, secured their first win of the campaign when they edged out Derry by 1-8 to 2-4.
Andrea O’Sullivan and Cathy Mee struck goals in the first half for Limerick to lead by 2-3 to 0-6 at the break, but Longford hit back and goals from Clodagh Lohan and Niamh Brady secured a 2-7 apiece draw.
Carlow led by 3-8 to 0-0 at the break against Kilkenny with goals from Roisín Bailey, Emma Coogan and Sara Doyle and pushed on for a 3-13 to 0-00 win.
RESULTS:
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 3
Down 1-10 Sligo 1-9
Offaly 3-9 Louth 2-11
Clare 1-7 Roscommon 1-7
Wexford 1-3 Antrim 0-5
Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 4
Fermanagh 1-9 Leitrim 0-9
Wicklow 1-8 Derry 2-4
Limerick 2-7 Longford 2-7
Carlow 3-13 Kilkenny 0-00
