26-6-17 GAA CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND
GAA CHAMPIONSHIP
WEEKEND
DUBLIN 4-29 0-10
WESTMESTH
ROCK THE RINGLEADER
Jim Gavin’s side enjoyed 1-15 to 0-05 half-time lead, with
Dean Rock palming the ball to the Westmeath net in the 28th minute, while
Eoghan O’Gara, Ciarán Kilkenny and Kevin McManamon all raised green flags in
the second half as the Dubs recorded their largest Championship win since
dismissing Longford by 27 points two years ago.
The lopsided 4-29 to 0-10 result is also Dublin’s biggest
margin of victory under Gavin in Championship action.
MY
OPINION
Dublin looked scary this weekend
and looked like there was no one that could not beat them. Westmeath are better
than this and we all know it we know that they will improve and will have to
put in extra effort in the qualifiers. Kildare will look at this result and be
worried I can assure you of that.
DOWN 1-14 0-15 MONIHAN
O’HANLON THE DIFFERENCE IN FIRST BIG SHOCK
In a pivotal first-half spell, Down accounted for seven of
the eight points scored and they led 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time.
Then came the penalty drama, with Niall Donnelly being
pulled back by Colin Walshe.
Stand-in referee Paddy Neilan from Roscommon, who had
replaced the injured David Coldrick at half-time, awarded the penalty and
O'Hanlon found the net despite keeper Rory Beggan getting a hand to the ball.
Victory seemed assured for Down - but Monaghan revived their
hopes with a string of points from Conor McManus 4, Darren Hughes, Jack
McCarron and Kieran Hughes.
Late in the game, Conor Maginn had the ball in the net but
ref Neilan ruled it out for a foul on keeper Beggan.
MY
OPINION
This was not what any of us were
expecting. The game itself was won by a penalty
which was clear to see but we know how referees are sometimes. Tyrone knows
that they will have a match as down played out of their skins and if they do
that next week they will beat Tyrone. I feel that Tyrone have to take this
match very seriously and this will be a good match for Tyrone. It does show
that there still is magic in the Ulster championship.
QUALIFIERS
OFFALLY 0-16 1-17 CAVAN
MC KIERNAN GOAL THE
DIFFERENCE AS CAVAN CRUISE THROUGH
Cavan's burst of 1-5 without reply started with Niall
McDermott and Ciaran Brady scores before the break.
Gerard Smith, McDermott and Liam Buchanan slotted over the
opening three points of the second half before McKiernan's goal on 43 minutes.
Buchanan burst through and passed to Dara McVeety, who set
up McKiernan to blast into the net from eight yards.
That left it 1-14 to 0-9 and a close encounter suddenly
became a one-sided affair.
Cavan substitute Thomas Corr was shown a black card minutes
after entering the fray while Offaly cut the gap by registering the final four
points of the game.
Breffni defender McEnroe was dismissed for two yellow cards
but it mattered little as Cavan remained in the championship.
MY
OPINION
A good win here for Cavan as
they showed that they had the talent they could not show against Monahan and
that they can get better but you do wonder how they will do against the bigger
counties and have they learned from the Monahan defeat. I feel that that with
the right draw they can go deep in the qualifiers.
ARMAGH 0-20 0-11
FERMAGH
GRUGAN 5 POINTS MAKE
A HUGE DIFFERENCE
McGeeney's men led by 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval and then
ran away with it in the second period.
Fermanagh had started without top scorer Sean Quigley,
although the big forward was introduced as a substitute 11 minutes into the
second half.
He did pop over a couple of points but the visitors simply
were unable to stem the flow of points coming from the boots of Armagh's Niall
Grimley, Ethan Rafferty, Stefan Campbell and star turn Clarke.
Tomas Corrigan was Fermanagh's top scorer with six frees,
while Grimley with six and Grugan on five were Armagh's top marksmen.
MY
OPINION
This is definitely going to be
looked at as a simple win for Armagh but people would be more worried at their
defeat to Down in the quarters. I feel that Armagh can learn more but maybe
they need someone with more experience on their side to help them improve.
Fermanagh you feel have had their chances to go far with one of the best
coaches but do sometimes seem to be going more backwards rather than forwards.
LONDON 0-12 0-13 CARLOW
MY
OPINION
We all know that Carlow can go
very far in the Championship and that
sometimes with games like this it does make you ask how far can they go but we
do know the answer to that is not that far
FOOTBALL QUALIFIER DRAW
Wexford v Monahan
Westmeth v Armagh
Carlow v Leitrim
Cavan v Tipperary
MY OPINION
I find it very interesting that
the 2 weakest teams in this draw have drawn each other ( Carlow and Letrim)knowing
in the third round they will find it
very difficult. The tie of the draw is Cavan v Tip or Westmeath v Armagh as you
would think Monihan should have an easy tie against Wexford.
HURLING
Dublin v Laois
Kikkenny v Limerick
Offally v Wateford
Tiparary v Westmeath
MY OPINION
The tie of the round without a doubt is
Kilkenny v Limerick as both sides have got the potential to beat each other. Waterford
should beat Offaly but it would not be the biggest shock in the world if they
did not. The other matches in my opinion are non-events but both sides should
be given a chance.
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