GAA roundup: Dublin scrape out win

Significantly, it was Jason Sherlock, the last remaining link with the All Ireland winning team of 1995, who provided the impetus for this success. Dropped following the earlier win over Meath, Sherlock was introduced at half time and then scored a vital goal on the hour mark that helped Dublin over the finish line.
Although Wexford’s talisman, Matty Forde, was held to three points, and although his performance was disappointing, the underdogs proved conclusively that they are much more than a one-trick pony.
Redmond Barry’s penalty had given them a 1-6 to 0-8 lead at the interval, and when PJ Banville got behind the defense for a second goal early in the second half, an opportunity to beat Dublin for the first time in 49 years hung tantalizingly in the air.
The fact the Wexford failed to push on from that position of strength was less to do with their inexperience, and more to do with Dublin’s determination. With Barry Cahill, Paul Casey and Paddy Christie closing the gaps at the back, and with Sherlock and another sub Senan Connell rejuvenating the attack, Dublin had drawn level by the 59th minute before Sherlock pounced for his match-changing goal.
“To fight back from the difficult position we were in showed some great character,” said Dublin manager Paul Caffrey. “In a way we were lucky that Wexford’s second goal came so early in the second half because we had plenty of time.”
Tomas Quinn improved greatly on his display against Meath with 0-10 including
seven frees, while Bryan Cullen and Colin Moran kicked 0-2 apiece. Wexford undoubtedly produced some of the best football ever seen by the county at Croke Park, but in the end they just didn’t have sufficient composure to finish the job.

Laois 0-21 Kildare 0-9
Mick O’Dwyer’s Laois might not like the tag, but after this thoroughly convincing Leinster semi-final win, they go into the provincial decider on 17 July against Dublin as warm, if not hot, favorites.
Croke Park was not as full as for the Dublin-Wexford contest, however, the latecomers missed an exhibition from Laois which was so impressive that Kildare were simply blown away. Reaping the harvest of years of underage talent, at times they performed with the sort of panache that was more reminiscent of O’Dwyer’s Kerry teams of the 1970s and ’80s.
“That’s just the semi-final won,” the manager was quick to point out. “We’re in a Leinster final three years in a row, and that’s not too bad. I think it was one of the best displays I’ve seen from any team out there in fairness. That’s a good Kildare team, I don’t care what anyone will say.”
Pace, as much as anything else, was the deciding factor. Laois moved with such speed and clarity that the Kildare defense was powerless to react. With support from Chris Conway and Barry Brennan, Ross Munnelly cut a swathe through the opposition rearguard as Laois stormed into a 0-12 to 0-4 interval lead.
It was more of the same during the second half as Munnelly finished with seven points including four frees. Conway also had 0-5 with four frees, while Brennan kicked another four from play.”
“I didn’t see it coming,” said Kildare manager Padraig Nolan whose team had earlier knocked the reigning Leinster champions Westmeath. “Nobody saw it coming. We were beaten all over the field. No excuses. I was just one of those days, I can’t put my finger on it.”

Kerry 2-10 Limerick 0-10
It was another disappointment for Limerick. So near and yet so far in last Sunday’s Munster semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds. They were in control of this game for long periods, but in the same manner as last year, they failed to close the deal.
The critical phase came early in the second half with Limerick deservedly leading by 0-8 to 1-1. They had most of the possession, they had all the momentum, and then suddenly Kerry were able to score five unanswered points in a row, and the game changed definitively.
The dismissal of defender Mark O’Riordan for a second yellow card offense — Limerick would later claim that the decision was harsh and that Colm Cooper had taken a dive – was also relevant, but by then Limerick were spluttering instead of firing.
Then Cooper, who had goaled after just 50 seconds when latching onto a high ball from Dara O Se, scored a second after Limerick goalkeeper Seamus O’Donnell had misjudged his lobbed free towards Mike Hassett. Cooper finished with 2-5 as Limerick faded badly in the final quarter.
“We have been touted as overwhelming favorites which isn’t reality at all,” suggested Kerry manager Jack O’Connor. “We didn’t want a champagne performance, we wanted a battling performance. And now we’ll have to up it if we’re going to be able to handle Cork in the final.”

Mayo 1-16 Roscommon 0-11
Order has been restored in Connacht. Mayo are through to a provincial final against Galway. However, there wasn’t too much to celebrate following last Sunday’s bloodless victory over Roscommon at Hyde Park.
For last year’s beaten All Ireland finalists, it was neither a case of substance or style, it was more a case of getting the job done. The fact that only seven of the team from the depressing defeat by Kerry started this time is representative of Mayo’s rebuilding.
John Maughan is clearly not yet sure of his best line-up because when James Gill came on just before half time as a blood replacement, he made his presence felt immediately.
Gill stayed on the pitch for the remainder of the contest, and as a result both Ciaran McDonald and Conor Mortimer began to prosper against a stubborn but limited Roscommon. Mortimer struck for a goal, which undermined a positive early challenge by the losers in which Ger Heneghan had been influential.
“It made no difference whether we won by 10 points or one point as long as we got through to the Connacht final,” said Mortimer. ?
“The only cause for disappointment would have been if we’d lost the game.” Billy Joe Padden impressed at full forward for the winners, but Mayo know they’ll have to improve to get the better of Galway at Salthill on 10 July.

Armagh 3-11 Donegal 1-10
Apparently sleeping for a few weeks, the ugly giant that is so often Ulster football thundered across Clones last Saturday to make this a bitter quarter-final replay. A contest that was always fascinating descended into chaos during the second half when four players were sent off in the space of a quarter of an hour.
The fact that Donegal’s Eamonn McGee, Brian Roper and Adrian Sweeney were the first to get their marching orders left manager Brian McEniff incensed. Having already had words with referee Maurice Deegan at the interval, McEniff was soon insisting that an Ulsterman should referee an Ulster championship match.
“The referee can’t make up the rules as he goes along, but I would be very disappointed with our lack of discipline. I never in my life remember three Donegal players being sent off. We should have an Ulster ref for these matches, particularly one that was always going to be tough.”
Deegan’s decreasing level of control over the proceedings was then evident when he dismissed Armagh defender Francie Bellew for an offense that hardly merited a yellow card. But by that stage, the winners were in command with their three goals coming from Ronan Clarke, Malachy Mackin and Steven McDonnell.
Crucially, as their frustration grew, Donegal were held to just one score from play — Brendan Devenney’s second half goal — but even though Armagh were deserving winners, there simply wasn’t enough football to pass judgment on their performance.

Cavan 1-7 Tyrone 0-10
More trouble at Clones where a fracas broke out between the teams after the final whistle. This Ulster semi-final replay will come back to the same venue on Saturday, and there is bound to be a sharp edge to the contest.
Tyrone’s ire was directed at referee Gearoid O Conamha who played seven minutes of added time, and they also claimed that sub Michael Lyng’s equalizing free had been illegally taken. As exchanges became heated, and the referee had to be escorted from the pitch, many of the players were involved in a debate that this time was more physical than verbal.
Paul Brady had flown home immediately after becoming the first Irishman to win the U.S. National handball title in Houston, Texas, and despite jet lag he gave an outstanding display before being harshly sent off for a high tackle on Conor Gormley in the 62nd minute.
Jason Reilly scored Cavan’s goal, and Larry Reilly added three points, while O’Neill with four, and Peter Canavan with three points were Tyrone?s top scorers.
“All the sad stories of how poor Cavan were don’t hold much water now,” said Tyrone manager Mickey Harte. “We didn’t believe them and the rest of the country won’t believe them now either.”

Football qualifiers
The football qualifiers got underway last weekend with Carlow producing the most telling result when they dramatically edged out Offaly by 0-14 to 1-10 at Dr Cullen Park. Having squandered a five-point lead in the closing stages, Carlow recovered for Mark Carpenter to fire over the winning score in the fourth minute of injury time.
Meath were not unduly troubled as they saw off the challenge of Antrim by 5-12 to 0-13 at Casement Park. Stephen Bray with two, Graham Geraghty, Joe Sheridan and Peadar Byrne scored goals for the winners.
Meanwhile, Tipperary almost pulled off a shock when they were pipped at the post in Thurles by last season’s Leinster champions Westmeath. It finished 0-12 to 1-8, and after scoring from the penalty spot early in the second half, Declan Browne had an opportunity to earn Tipp a replay, but his injury time free from 40 meters drifted wide of the target.
There were five red cards in foul-ridden game at Newry as Down got the better of Fermanagh by 1-11 to 0-7. The loss of influential midfielder Dan Gordon was a major blow to Down who despite finishing with 12 men secured victory when sub Ronan Sexton fired home a goal midway through the second half.
Louth moved on to the second round with a 1-12 to 1-8 win over Waterford at Drogheda, Sligo battled hard to see off Longford by 0-18 to 0-16 at Markievicz Park, while Monaghan were too strong for London at Clones on a scoreline of 2-18 to 1-9.

Hurling qualifiers
The start of the hurling qualifiers didn’t bring about a change for Dublin whose new manager Tommy Naughton watched his team being pummeled by 1-23 to 0-9 by Clare at Parnell Park.
Waterford recovered from the hammering they had taken by Kilkenny to run out 1-26 to 1-15 winners over Offaly at Dr. Cullen Park, while Galway had a comfortable 2-22 to 2-11 victory over Laois at O’Moore Park.