Hurling League wrap: Wicklow take huge step towards Division 2A survival
Wicklow took a huge step towards securing their Allianz Hurling League Division 2A future for another year when they edged out Mayo by 1-16 to 1-13 at the Connacht Centre of Excellence in the only game in the Division played on Sunday.
Andy O’Brien struck 0-12 for Wicklow and helped to set up Enda Donohue’s goal that gave the Garden County a 1-9 to 0-6 interval lead, but a Cathal Freeman penalty and two quickfire Mayo points suggested that an upset was on the cards.
Instead, massive second-half performances from Danny Staunton and George B O’Brien ensured that the Leinster county picked up a vital win.
Storm Denis was in full force at Dr. Hyde Park, where conditions were incredibly difficult for the clash of Roscommon and London in Division 2B. Cathal Dolan (Roscommon) and David Nolan (London) accounted for ten points each, with Roscommon’s Mickey Joe Egan and Shane Curley the only other scorers in a 0-13 to 0-10 win for the home side.
Egan has been a real find for Roscommon manager Ciarán Comerford and his two second-half points, as well as an injury-time goal-line block from former county footballer Padraig Kelly, helped Roscommon defend their six-point interval lead.
Warwickshire weren’t expected to trouble Down in Ballycran, but second-quarter goals from Ian Dwyer and Willie Allen meant there was just a point in it after half an hour. Ryan McCusker hit back in kind for the home side and the second half was one-sided, with Down outscoring Warwickshire 1-10 to no score en route to a 3-22 to 2-8 victory.
Derry vs Kildare fell victim to the storm, as did Fermanagh vs Sligo in Division 3B.
In Division 3A, Armagh and Longford are tied on top of the table after they played out an 0-9 each draw. Damien Casey and Ryan Butler were the goalscorers as Tyrone kept themselves in the promotion hunt with a comfortable 2-17 to 1-7 win over Monaghan in Castleblayney, while Louth were undone by a last-puck goal from Donegal in Darver as it finished 2-9 to 1-10 in favour of the Ulstermen.
