22-5-18 GAA CHAMPIONSHIP
GAELIC FOOTBALL
MUNSTER FOOTBALL
CLAIRE 1.23 0.14
LIMRICK
MIGHTY MALONE MAKES
MAGIC
Facing a defensive wall of green for long periods, Clare had
to be patient before finally shaking off their obstinate hosts. Eventually
however, their much slicker movement and passing along with some excellent long
range shooting ensured that Clare would outscore Limerick by 0-14 to 0-05 in
the final 20 minutes to ease into the semi-finals.
MY
OPINION
Claire for a long time have been
the best of the rest and it still appears if there is going to be a shock in
the semis it will be Claire that will get the win. Limerick gave them a hard
game which they will need going into the semi-finals.
TIPERAY 0.20 0.9 WATERFORD
MIGHTY MC GRATH
MAKES MISSION
Tipperary led by 0-07 to 0-03 at the break, with Waterford
not opening their account until Gavin Crotty found the range after 28 minutes of
a disappointing opening half.
That score gave Waterford some hope and they got a further
boost when Tommy Prendergast landed two excellent points from play before the
interval.
Those scores cut the gap to 0-07 to 0-03 at half-time but
Tipperary took charge after the restart and picked off some excellent points.
Liam McGrath led the way as they struck for six points in a
blistering eleven minute spell that killed the game as a contest.
Michael Quinlivan fisted two efforts, McGrath struck a free
and one from play and Kevin O’Halloran got his second point of the game with
another fine effort.
Points from Liam Boland and Josh Keane pushed the lead out
to 0-15 to 0-3 after 50 minutes and a landslide victory looked on the cards.
MY
OPINION
This was simply a difference in
class but the problem with a match like this one is you cannot say where they
will stand against their semi-final opponents whoever they are. Waterford are
still in dyer straights and have got a lot to learn over a long period of time.
ULSTER
TYRONE 1.16 1.18
MONAGHAN
CORAGOUS COREY PUTS
MONIHAN IN FINAL
Vinny Corey’s stoppage time goal sent Monaghan in with a 1-7
to 0-8 interval lead, with goalkeeper Rory Beggan contributing a couple of
scores from long range frees.
Beggan’s kicking was crucial as he converted two ‘45s, with
Conor McManus hitting six, and while Connor McAliskey kicked six Tyrone points,
and Michael McKernan grabbed a last gasp goal, they were not enough to save the
Red Hands from an early exit. Tyrone lost Peter Harte to a straight red card
late on.
MY
OPINION
This performance did not show
Tyrone in the strongest light as Monihan had completed control of the second half.
Tyrone will need an easy couple of qualifier ties but I do believe that Monahan
should have the quality to reach the final.
FERMANAGH 0.12 0.07
ARMAGH
QUICK QUIGLY KEEPS
ARMAGH QUIET
Seamus Quigley’s return to the fold this season continues to
bear fruit, and he top-scored with 0-6 as Rory Gallagher’s side saw out a
dogged encounter.
Armagh lost midfielder Niall Grimley to a straight red card
at the start of the second half, and their already faltering challenge was
doomed to failure thereafter.
For the first time in 22 years, Armagh went into
championship battle without a Crossmaglen player in their ranks.
MY
OPINION
This was a bit of a surprise
result for me as I Armagh would have been too powerful. I think though that
moving forward things are destined to be a lot harder. Armagh will go in a
bigger threat but must be concerned that they did not give Fermagh any real second
half threat.
MUNSTER HURLING
CHAMPIONSHIP
CORK 2.23 1.21 CLARE
LEHANE AND HARNEDY
CHANGE FOR CORK
Cork led by 0-11 to 0-10 at half-time and they were still a
point in front, 0-14 to 0-13. Shane Kingston, O’Flynn’s replacement, had a point
attempt which looked to be heading wide but Horgan kept the ball alive and the
onrushing Lehane was able to divert it to the net.
Horgan made it a five-point game but just as quickly Clare
were level again, David Reidy and John Conlon pointing before Tony Kelly
profited from Shane O’Donnell’s nice pass to send the ball past Nash.
That was in the 62nd minute but there was still plenty of
time left.
The sides traded points for the remainder of normal time
before Cork finally established daylight to leave them sitting on top of the
table with Limerick ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Thurles.
MY
OPINION
This was a battle that both
teams had chances to win before in the last 10 minutes Cork were able to do
damage that Clare couldn’t stop. I do think that home advantage was a huge
factor here and that Care are not out of the running for this league yet.
LIMERICK 1.23 2.14
TIPERARY
MAGICAL MURPHY AND
GREAT GILAINE
Limerick had an edge in the opening half but were unable to
pull away as they constantly coughed up frees, which Forde kept punishing.
But it was clear that Kiely’s men were finely tuned for this
contest, running some great lines which stretched the Tipperary defence.
They were level at the end of the opening quarter before
Gillane put Limerick in front just after Tipperary’s debut goalkeeper Brian
Hogan produced a superb save to deny Gearoid Hegarty.
But Tipperary hit back and Dan McCormack pounced for the
opening goal of the Munster championship when he finished a rebound after John
McGrath’s effort came back off the left post.
Limerick responded well with efforts from Gillane and
Mulcahy tying the match and they continued to exchange points to the break
before Forde sent Tipperary in with the advantage.
Little separated the sides on the resumption and they were
level three more times in the opening ten minutes.
However, it was clear that Limerick were on top in most of
the key positions and this was finally reflected on the scoreboard as Gillane,
Hegarty and Byrnes hit the target to lead by 0-18 to 1-12 after 50 minutes.
Tipperary responded and drew level when Forde blasted to the
net and then Noel McGrath edged them in front eleven minutes from time.
However, Michael Ryan’s men only managed one more point from
there to the end of five minutes of stoppage time.
MY
OPINION
Tip are in a bit of a pickle at
the moment as they now need to win all their matches to give themselves an6y
sort of a chance. This is a great start for Limrick but they know that they
have the players off the bench that can make a difference.
LEINSTER HURLING
CHAMPIONSHIP
WEXFORD 0.22 2.14
DUBLIN
O CONNOR ON FIRE
couple of Paul Ryan frees gave Dublin the early initiative
(0-2 to 0-1) before Wexford asserted themselves by 0-5 to 0-2 after 12 minutes
as Rory O'Connor led the way with three frees.
But Dublin rocked the locals on 13 minutes when an attempted
Wexford clearance was intercepted and led indirectly to midfielder Rian McBride
netting to level matters on 1-2 to 0-3.
Wexford squandered some promising situations as the sides
shared the next four scores before Rory O'Connor momentarily pointed Wexford
back in front on 0-8 to 1-14. Jack Malone and defender Paddy Smyth turned the
tide back in favour of Dublin before the Dubs had a massive let off when Paul
Morris spurned a gilt-edged goaling opportunity.
Regardless, Wexford clawed out a 0-10 to 1-6 lead at the
interval as Rory O'Connor fired over his sixth and seventh frees.
Wexford shook off some of their earlier rustiness as they
hummed better during the third quarter to forge ahead by 0-16 to 1-8 midway
through the closing-half courtesy of Jack O'Connor, Aidan Nolan, Diarmuid
O'Keeffe, Rory O'Connor (2) and Pádraig Foley (free).
But Dublin certainly illustrated no ill-effects of their
opening-round frustration against Kilkenny as they mounted a promising charge
when reeling-off 1-3 without reply between the 58th and 65th minutes to seize
the initiative by 2-13 to 0-18, with Paul Ryan bagging a tidy 61st-minute goal.
Wexford got back level through a Rory O'Connor free. But sub
David Treacy appeared to have Dublin back on the brink of victory at 2-14 to
0-19.
However, the Model County sent the decibel levels soaring
with a late charge to victory, as Rory O'Connor levelled from a free before
adding a monstrous score from play, and sub Harry Kehoe wrapped up the result
to leave Wexford
MY
OPINION
I think that this math was so
important in the battle for third spot in the Leinster Championship. I think
that to save Dublin’s season they end to beat either Kilkenny or Galway nothing
else will matter as for Wexford this should be seen as a big win.
KILKENNY 2.19 1.13
OFFALY
RAMPANT REID
The Cats looked to be in complete control throughout the
clash at Nowlan Park but saw their 10 point lead whittled down to three by the
fighting Faithful.
However Blanchfield scored a decisive late goal for the
second straight week to ensure another win for Brian Cody’s men.
TJ Reid, who finished the match with 1-5, scored the first
goal of the game after 24 minutes of the first-half to put the Cats in front
1-6 to 0-5.
Kilkenny led by six points at the break at the score of 1-10
to 0-7 and continued to stretch their advantage in the second-half opening up a
ten point gap with twenty minutes to go.
However Offaly set up a dramatic finish to the game when
Conor Mahon found the back of the net to bring the visitors within three
points.
Liam Blanchfield would once again have the final say however
as he scored his side’s second goal with seven minutes to go as the Cats eased
to a comfortable win.
MY
OPINION
This was too easy for Kilkenny and
if anyone saw an Offaly win they must have been out of their minds. I do think
that maybe they choose the wrong 10th team to enter this
championship. Kilkenny are definite potential All Ireland Champions
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