24-6-18 PROVINCIAL FINALS
LEINSTER FINAL
LAOIS 0-10 1-25 DUBLIN
KILLER KILKENNY
The holders did race into a 1-01 to no score lead thanks to
a fourth minute Rock goal when he caught a high ball in from Eric Lowndes, spun
clear of Finbarr Crowley and slammed home.
But Laois' response was terrific as they reeled off four
points in a row to tie up the game by the 17th minute.
It was a hint that Laois could trouble Dublin in the air but
that threat didn't materialise.
In fact, Laois only scored once more in the half when Alan
Farrell pointed in the 27th minute.
Even that score came with a sense of regret as Farrell was
in on goal with a man over but chose to boot it over.
Dublin, meanwhile, were strangely errant in front of goal at
the other end and blasted eight first-half wides while Con O'Callaghan missed
two goal opportunities.
Dublin's accuracy improved in the closing minutes of the
half and they reeled off five points in a row including two from Rock to open
up a 1-08 to 0-05 half-time lead.
Without playing close to their potential Dublin had an
ominous six-point lead and stretched that gap after a strong third quarter
display.
O'Callaghan had a cheeky lob tipped over for a point and
Rock took his tally to 0-07 for the game when he converted a 45
That Rock score left Dublin 1-13 to 0-07 clear after 46
minutes and with their shots to scores ratio much improved they looked totally
in control.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/0624/972815-dublin-canter-to-victory-over-laois-in-leinster-final/
MY
OPINION
Dublin do look to be unbeatable
at this moment in time and they do look very strong both defensively and offensive
and you do think they will get three wins from their group. I do wonder how
Laois will do in their qual8ifer no matter who it is.
MUNSTER FINAL
CORK 2-04 3-18 KERRY
GRACIOUS GEANEY
The hosts moved
wing-forward Ruairí Deane into full-forward from the start and it was a switch
which paid dividends in the form of two early goals. In the third minute, he
won Seán White’s delivery and passed across for full-back Jamie O’Sullivan –
who had advanced from full-back – to palm home.
O’Sullivan crashed into the post in the act of scoring,
necessitating three minutes off as he was treated for a blood injury, and by
the time he returned Cork were behind as David Clifford’s point was followed by
a Stephen O’Brien goal, a great finish after David Moran found him in space
after winning a mark.
Paul Geaney looked to have put Kerry in control at 1-02 to
1-00 ahead but back Cork came. Tomás Clancy was the provider for Deane on this
occasion and again he showed good awareness to feed Mark Collins, who had an
easy finish.
Luke Connolly made it 2-01 to 1-02, but Cork wouldn’t score
again until the 11th minute of the second half, with Kerry putting together an
unanswered 1-10 in between. James O’Donoghue, Geaney, Clifford and Paul Murphy
– pushed up on Cork sweeper Stephen Cronin – all had scores while Cork lost Sam
Ryan and Deane to black cards with O’Brien similarly dismissed for Kerry.
A good Kevin Crowley block denied O’Donoghue another Kerry
goal chance and at the other end Connolly almost set up Collins for another for
Cork, but the visitors were well in control as O’Donoghue’s point left the 1-11
to 2-01 in front at half-time.
Brian Hurley and Peter Kelleher were added to the Cork
attack for the second half, but it was Kerry who got a goal, Geaney slotting
home after good work from sub Kevin McCarthy, while Seán O’Shea sent a 45 over
the bar.
Connolly did end Cork’s drought with a free, but Kerry had
four more points in a row in response, the fourth an O’Shea 45 after Mark White
had saved from sub Barry John Keane. A third goal did eventually come near the
end, McCarthy again providing the assist, while Keane rounded off the rout at
the death.
MY
OPINION
Kerry have shown how well they
can play and can give anyone a game on their day. I do think though that Cork
are much better than this performance and must look at what exactly went wrong
as they have a second chance and are the hardest of the 4th round qualifiers
to play.
ULSTER FINAL
FERMANAGH 0-12 2-18
DONEGAL
GALLAHER GETS GOAL
Seán Quigley got the Erne men off the mark from a free, but
as they pressed patiently in search of openings, a packed Donegal defence was
able to force turnovers and break at speed from deep.
After Odhrán MacNiallais had curled over their opener,
Michael Langan galloped through the middle to pick off a point, and the men
from the north-west were beginning to move with menace.
Corner back Eoghan Bán Gallagher had been jumping at every
opportunity to use his pace in finding pockets in the Fermanagh defence, and in
the 16thminute he hit he jackpot, getting on the end of a move involving Paddy
McBrearty and Ryan McHugh to palm to the net at the far post.
Eoin Donnelly shrugged off a couple of tackles to steer over
a point at the other end to revive Erne spirits, but in the 31st minute, McHugh
dodged his way past a despairing Kane Connor to send a rocket to the roof of
the net for an eight points lead.
This was the sort of scenario that Fermanagh’s carefully
constructed plan was not calibrated to deal with, and they were forced to
improvise as a shaky Plan B was called for.
But they lacked the firepower up front to trouble a well
organised Donegal defence, although Ciarán Corrigan did claim a neat score.
McBrearty and Murphy rounded off the first half scoring to
send rampant Donegal in with a 2-7 to 0-5 interval lead.
But as Rory Gallagher ordered his troops forward Donegal
were able to find more openings at the back, and Jamie Brennan crossed for
Paddy McGrath to palm to the net, but he was penalised for a square ball
infringement.
Conall Jones and Barry Mulrone gave Fermanagh fresh hope
with scores, but they had to play the final quarter with 14 men after
midfielder Ryan Jones was booked for a second time.
The scores flowed from Ciarán Thompson, Paddy McGrath, Cian
Mulligan and Jamie Brennan, and while substitute Quigley added a couple for the
Erne men,
MY
OPINION
After a huge win over Monahan I
thought that Fermanagh would have put in more of a competitive performance but
this game was done right from the start and you could see that from the goals
that they conceded so early. I think that |Fermanagh have to look at what it is
that went wrong and use drills as with the right draw I can see them in the 8s
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