GAA:THE PENULTIMATE weekend of the Allianz National Leagues produced a combination of results that will please the GAA, as the situation at the top of both Division Ones in football and hurling remains fluid, with just one team – Dublin's footballers – having reserved a place in the final.
The late, injury-time raid on All-Ireland finalists Down by the Brogan brothers, Bernard who equalised, and Alan, whose goal won it, ensures Dublin maintain the league’s only 100 per cent record with six from six and also reach their first final in the competition for 12 years in search of a first title since 1993.
Adding to the sense of wellbeing in the capital was the general success of the Spring Series promotion which saw over 110,000 attend the footballers’ (and two of the hurlers’) four league matches at Croke Park. Saturday’s attendance of 35,264 was the biggest of the four.
Holders and All-Ireland champions Cork could have joined them yesterday but a goal from Jason Doherty helped last year’s league finalists Mayo to victory – and safety in the top division – on a score-line of 1-13 to 0-14 to send Conor Counihan’s team to a second defeat of the campaign.
Three counties now have a chance of joining Dublin in the final: Cork, Down and Kerry, who overcame Monaghan with a commanding wind-assisted first half, which saw them leading by 11 at half-time, 1-9 to 0-1, the goal from Declan O’Sullivan, and although Monaghan rallied after the break it wasn’t enough.
Relegation will be between Eamonn McEneaney’s team, Galway and Armagh. The latter two played yesterday in the Athletic Grounds where Armagh’s poor home form continued and the visitors recorded their first win of the season.
The returning Pádraic Joyce was the catalyst, kicking five points and being taken down for the first-half penalty which, converted by Cormac Bane, kept them ahead of Armagh for a 1-20 to 0-18 victory. If the westerners can defeat Dublin in the final match, Armagh lose to Cork and Monaghan fail to beat Mayo, they will survive on the basis of yesterday’s head-to-head.
In the hurling league the situation is a welcome departure from last year when not alone did Galway and Cork confirm their places in the final before the last series of matches but they were scheduled to play on the concluding weekend – with all the nail-biting intensity that lent proceedings.
Galway manager John McIntyre would probably have opted for the tedium of assured advancement yesterday but instead the holders got a whacking from All-Ireland champions Tipperary, the strength-in-depth of whose panel was on full view at Pearse Stadium in a 4-23 to 1-14 victory.
Shane Bourke hit 3-4 for the winners. It was a pleasant change of fortune for the young JK Brackens forward, who hadn’t had the best of days against Cork a week previously.
“Some days everything goes right and today was one of them for me,” he said afterwards before paying tribute to hurler of the year Lar Corbett, who two matches into his comeback from injury also showed some that he’s re-entering orbit at speed.
“They didn’t go well for me last week but the boys were encouraging during the week. Lar gave me a good start and threw me out a couple of handy balls early on, a couple of easy scores and that kind of got me into the game.”
Dublin’s last-gasp equaliser by Paul Ryan against Kilkenny on a rain-swept Croke Park on Saturday night ensures the hurling league will go right down to the wire in a fortnight’s time.
Galway must go to Waterford and win if they are to take their title defence to next month’s final but their opponents also have an outside chance of qualifying if other results go their way.
Scalp of the day went to Wexford, who still face an uphill battle to avoid relegation as they need at least a point from Tipperary, hot on the trail of a final place, in their last match. Nonetheless Colm Bonnar’s side beat Cork in Wexford Park – Stephen Banville getting the goal in a 1-16 to 1-15 win that ends Cork’s faint hopes of progress.
