Round 3 Results
Saturday 8th February
Sunday 9th February
Summary: The third round of national league action was played out in difficult weather conditions as storm Ciara lashed the country with high winds and rain. It’s a credit to the ground staff all around the country that all the division one fixtures went ahead. The eight teams in action sever up some great football despite the conditions. All four games were close encounters with one draw and the other three games decided by a single point.
First up on Saturday night at headquarters was the meeting of Dublin and Monaghan. Banty McEneaney’s side will feel they left this one behind them. They were six points ahead as the clock ticked into the 70th minute. Kevin McMananmon’s goal cut the gap to three points. Sean Bolger picked off a brace of points before Davy Byrne levelled matters nine minutes into stoppage time.
All three Sunday games also went to the wire. In each of the three fixtures, the points were up for grabs as the games went in stoppage time.
In Omagh two late red cards were the game’s major talking point. Peter Harte walked for a second yellow on 58 minutes. Ten minutes later, while Tyrone were two-point ahead, Kerry’s David Clifford also got his marching orders for a second yellow. Clifford appeared to be dragged to the ground in a headlock by Ben O’Connell. Both players were booked. Despite Kerry’s protests, it was now 14 aside for the last few minutes. Tyrone held out despite for a one-point win.
In Letterkenny, the home side lead by 7 points early in the second half after Ciaran Thompson’s goal put them 2-05 v 0-04 ahead. However, Donegal would only score two more points. Goals from full-backs Johnny Heaney and Sean Kelly turned the game in Galway’s favour. Michael Murphy had a chance to snatch a draw at the death for Donegal, however, his late free into the wind drifted wide.
Finally, in Navan, two second-half goals looked like giving the home side their first points of the campaign. But not for the first time Kevin McLoughlin came to Mayo’s rescue. He hit 1-2 off the bench, with his injury-time goal proving decisive.
