Hurling Roundup: Clare hurlers quiet Tipp

Tipp could point to a certain tiredness throughout the team as a result of only having returned from a week’s training in the Algarve late on Friday night, but Clare would take umbrage at the suggestion that theirs was a soft win. Anthony Daly’s side have looked impressive in each of their last four games and they did for their neighbors here with an energetic display.
They capitalized on Tipp’s lethargy early and often. Indeed, only a late rally from Ken Hogan’s side — they scored seven of the game’s last nine points — prevented a rout. Andrew Quinn top scored for Clare with a smart 1-2, but there were equally impressive contributions from Niall Gilligan and Seanie McMahon, both of whom finished the afternoon with five points against their names.

GALWAY 0-19, WEXFORD 2-10
When the delegates at next Saturday’s congress decide to do away with the new rule about a pointed sideline cut being worth two points instead of one, Galway forward Ger Farragher will be forgiven for thinking it’s a move designed to curb him and him only. Last Sunday at Wexford Park, he pointed another beautiful effort that, along with the seven frees and three points from play he added, made up the bulk of Galway’s winning total.
Farragher apart, it was a turgid enough afternoon in Wexford. The home side were never out of contention but never managed to poke their noses in front either. They stayed in touch with a Damien Fitzhenry penalty and a late Des Mythen goal, but all in all, Galway deserved the win. Certainly Farragher did.

KILKENNY 1-14, CORK 1-11
Cork kept up the trend of home teams in the top division last Sunday, losing games played at around 70 percent pace with this three-point defeat to Kilkenny at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. And for anyone who saw the first 15 minutes of the game, the only surprising thing was that they finished the afternoon within a puck of a ball of the team they beat in last September’s All Ireland final.
Kilkenny were 1-7 to 0-0 ahead after that opening period — Martin Comerford getting the goal. But then, for reasons just as mysterious as those behind Cork’s early ponderousness, they simply didn’t bother killing off the game. They didn’t score for the rest of the half and allowed Cork to inch their way back into matters after the break, so much so that when Joe Deane finished to the net after 67 minutes, just those three points separated the sides. Cork couldn’t manage anything further, however.

RELEGATION SECTION
Waterford and Down were the two winners in this section last Sunday and they sit together atop the table after victories over Limerick and Dublin, respectively. Where Waterford owed much of their win to the dead-eye accuracy of Paul Flynn, who scored 1-11 of their total in a 1-19 to 0-18 victory, Down had a hat trick from Gareth Johnson to thank for their 4-5 to 4-9 win over Humphrey Kellher’s side. In the section’s other game, a late Karl McKeegan free earned Antrim a 1-18 to 3-12 draw with Laois at Casement Park.

DIVISION TWO
The biggest surprise of the day came at Dr. Cullen Park, where lowly Carlow pulled off an amazing 3-12 to 1-13 victory over Offaly, their first win over their midlands neighbors in more than 40 years. Two goals from corner-forward Brendan Lawler — the second a crucial immediate response to an Offaly goal that had left just a score between the sides as the game reached the midpoint of the second half — set them up for a famous win. Elsewhere in the section, Meath had a 2-11 to 1-12 win over Derry, and Westmeath and Kerry played out a thriller, the Leinster side running out 4-18 to 6-10 winners.
In the relegation section, Kildare and Wicklow sit at the top of this table after convincing wins last Sunday over Sligo and Roscommon, respectively.

DIVISION THREE
There were wins here for Armagh over Monaghan, Donegal over Tyrone and Mayo over Louth. In the relegation section, Leitrim were the only side to win in this section as they beat Cavan 2-13 to 1-8. In the day’s other game, Fermanagh and Longford played out a 2-9 to 1-12 draw.