MATTIE KENNY AND Liam Cahill had no complaints after yesterday’s Allianz Hurling League clash between Dublin and Waterford that saw 18 cards handed out, including two reds and blacks.  The thrilling draw in Parnell Park wasn’t a particularly bad-tempered affair, although several scuffles did break out and Antrim whistler Colm Cunning was quick to punish those involved.  He set the tone in the first-half when he booked six players, three from either side, for altercations. In the second period Cian O’Callaghan (black and a yellow) and Conor Prunty (two yellows) were sent-off late on. Neither Kenny nor Cahill felt it was the sort of game that warranted so many cards, but…

GOALS FROM PATRICK McBrearty and Ryan McHugh helped Donegal to victory over Kildare in Division 1 of the Allianz Football League, while Derry were emphatic winners against Offaly in Division 2. Star forward Michael Murphy was withdrawn due to injury in the first half of their outing in Ballybofey, but Declan Bonner’s side recovered from his absence to ensure a 2-11 to 1-9 win. Kildare were leading by 1-3 to 0-5 at that point, with the goal coming from Jimmy Hyland.  But Donegal produced a strong response as Michael Langan and McBrearty combined for 1-1 to push their side into a three-point lead. Kildare’s Paddy Woodgate and McHugh then traded…

Dublin 0-21 Waterford 2-15 ON A COLD, blustery afternoon in Parnell Park, Dublin maintained their unbeaten start to the season after an entertaining draw with Waterford. This was February hurling at its best. Both counties went hell for leather for the two points in this Division 1 Group B opener. The teams were level seven times in a tie that featured plenty of mistakes but one that was full of intensity, honesty and physicality.  It was a full incident with two reds, two blacks and 14 yellows handed out by referee Colum Cunning. There were two penalties awarded, both for Waterford and converted by Stephen Bennett. The full-forward finished with…

Wexford 1-11 Limerick 0-11 Ronan Fagan reports from Chadwicks Wexford Park ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Limerick were rocked by a second-half Mikie Dwyer goal in Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 1 opener against jubilant Wexford at a blustery Chadwicks Wexford Park. John Kiely’s men overcame some alarming first-half shooting – ten wides – to lead 0-7 to 0-6 at the break. But Wexford kept pace and stoutly maintained an edge after Dwyer’s 59th minute breakthrough turned the tables by 1-9 to 0-11 as the Model County secured their first competitive victory over the Shannonsiders since the corresponding league fixture in 2017. Wexford’s odds-defying feat is testament to the fortitude of the squad…

Meath manager Andy McEntee (file pic). Source: Ben Brady/INPHO Roscommon 1-15 Meath 1-11 Kevin Egan reports Páirc Tailteann ROSCOMMON MADE IT two wins out of two while the pressure continues to mount on Meath manager Andy McEntee after a game that was far more one-sided than the final margin suggested. Like most of the games played all across Ireland this afternoon, a strong wind was a key factor in the contest, and it favoured the Rossies in the first half. Meath, who made five changes to the team that was named, conceded a couple of early scores but got off to a great start when Mathew Costello played a quick…

Galway’s Conor Whelan and David King of Offaly battle for possession. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO Galway 4-22 Offaly 0-17 John Fallon reports from Pearse Stadium HENRY SHEFFLIN’S GALWAY got their Allianz Hurling League campaign off to a flying start with a double-scores win over Offaly in a low-tempo game in Salthill. The Tribesmen always held the upper hand as Offaly – managed by Shefflin’s former Ballyhale Shamrocks team-mate Michael Fennelly – never looked like creating a shock in a one-sided encounter. Offaly opted to play with the wind in the opening half but they were in trouble when they trailed by 1-12 to 0-8 at the interval, with Galway on top…

Armagh 2-14 Tyrone 0-14 Declan Bogue reports at Athletic Grounds TYRONE HAD FOUR players red carded after a fracas in injury time in this chastening defeat to neighbours Armagh, who also lost Greg McCabe to a red card in that dramatic ending. In front of a 14,328 attendance here in a squally Athletic Grounds, they ran through the 2021 All-Ireland champions like they were a club side. The huge crowd were no doubt encouraged by last week’s six point victory over Dublin and this was expected to be a more realistic test, coming signposted as it was. By the half time break, Tyrone were 2-8 to 0-4 adrift. It could…

St Sylvester’s [Dublin] 1-6 Castlebar Mitchels [Mayo] 0-7 Darren Kelly reports at Ballinasloe DUBLIN CAPTAIN SINÉAD Aherne scored 0-4 and St Sylvester’s were crowned currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Intermediate club champions following a thrilling win over Castlebar Mitchels at Duggan Park in Ballinasloe. Kate Sullivan’s goal in the first attack ultimately proved the difference between the teams but the Leinster champions still needed two late points from Aherne and Niamh Harney to seal the win. St Sylvester’s began in scintillating fashion with their goal after just 10 seconds. Sullivan took her place at midfield for the throw-in, won possession and raced at the heart of the Castlebar defence before she struck low past…

GALWAY ALL-IRELAND winner Kieran Fitzgerald is the next GAA figure to feature in the current season of TG4′s Laochra Gael. Fitzgerald enjoyed a successful career with the Galway footballers, winning a senior All-Ireland title in 2001 and an All-Ireland U21 crown the following year. The episode also features the unprecedented levels of success he enjoyed with Corofin and, his wife — and former Galway ladies footballer — Emer Flaherty. But the talented defender experienced a huge personal loss following the death of his girlfriend Mairéad Meehan, who was also a sister of the Meehan brothers who played for Galway. When Fitzgerald won his first All-Ireland title with Corofin in 2015,…

LET’S BEGIN WITH some unwanted statistics for Dublin.  This is the first time they’ve lost three competitive games in-a-row since 2009 and their first time losing successive league ties since 2012. It was their largest defeat to Kerry in 13 years. Last week’s loss to Armagh aside, it was their biggest losing margin in a decade.  For players like Brian Fenton, Brian Howard, Niall Scully and John Small, who only experienced losing a championship game for the first time last August, these are unprecedented times. Dublin were outclassed by Kerry in Tralee last night, undone by the superior attacking play and movement of their Munster opponents.   And even still,…