National Football League Division 3 round-up
07/03/2010 - 20:50:21Jason Ryan's Wexford side secured their second successive win in Allianz NFL Division 3 today, getting the better of Sligo on a 3-7 to 1-6 scoreline at Wexford Park.
In a poor quality encounter, the Model county built a 1-4 to 0-6 half-time lead with Ciaran Lyng netting a third minute penalty.
Both sides struggled for scores from open play, and Sligo lost Kenneth Sweeney to injury before the throw-in and Eugene Mullin also had to be replaced after 20 minutes.
David Kelly, one of the visitors' main attacking threats, was well marshalled throughout by Wexford's Niall Murphy, and midfielder Eric Bradley was an influential figure for the home side in the opening half.
Further goals from Daithi Waters and Ben Brosnan, who was later sent-off for striking, put the game beyond Sligo's reach, although they did salvage some pride when Alan Costello bulged the Wexford net late on.
In Tullamore, Offaly survived a nail-biting finish as they beat Roscommon 2-14 to 2-13 to grab their second win of the league campaign.
Ciaran McManus was fouled for an early penalty which Niall McNamee dispatched to the net, but the Rossies, who are rooted to the bottom of the table, bounced back with a John Rogers goal and the margin was reduced to 1-9 to 1-8 coming up to half-time.
But Offaly increased the tempo in the remaining minutes of the first half, scoring 1-2 without reply as John Reynolds netted and McNamee and David Egan tagged on points.
2-11 to 1-8 down at half-time, Roscommon tried their utmost to hit back at the Faithfuls in the second half and to their credit, they did set up a cliffhanger of a finish when Cathal Cregg finished to the net after a defensive error and two more points for the visitors suddenly made it a one-point game.
But a last-gasp point attempt was wide of a target as Offaly hung on to take the verdict, with McNamee (1-8) and Reynolds (1-2) doing most of the scoring.
Donal Shine (0-6) top-scored for a valiant Roscommon side, with his points coming from five frees and a single '45'. James Connaughton and David O'Gara also weighed in with 0-2 apiece.
Meanwhile, Louth maintained their own push for promotion with a 0-13 to 1-6 victory over Cavan in Drogheda this afternoon.
Cavan led early on as Ciaran Galligan teed up Cian Mackey for a goal, but Louth, with midfielder Brian White fielding well and kicking some nice frees, fought back to lead by 0-8 to 1-2 at half-time.
Peter Fitzpatrick's charges failed to kick on after the break, after establishing a six-point lead at 0-11 to 1-2.
Cavan missed a number of inviting goal-scoring chances and while they closed the gap with frees from Mackey and Gareth Smyth (0-2), Louth, who had Darren Clarke sent-off in the closing stages, had done enough to collect league win number two.
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