Hurling round-up: Derry and London book Croke Park date, Monaghan finish strongly
London and Derry will contest the 2025 Christy Ring Cup final as Wicklow – leaders prior to Saturday's final round of games – missed out on the decider on scoring difference.
The meeting of Derry and Wicklow at Celtic Park looked set to be a blockbuster with the winner guaranteeing a final spot, but in the end Johnny McGarvey's side strolled to a 2-30 to 1-13 win.
The Oakleafers led 1-13 to 0-07 at the break with Cormac O'Doherty scoring freely, including the only goal of the half in the lead up to the interval.
Eamon Conway opened the second-half scoring to extend Derry's advantage and with O'Doherty tapping over free after free and Wicklow losing Ronan McMahon to a red, the result was a foregone conclusion from way out.
Pádraig Doran did nab a late goal for the visitors but Derry had the final say with a second goal to secure a fourth final appearance in five years for a competition they have never won.
That result meant that all London really had to do was beat Tyrone given the scoring difference situation – the Exiles drawing with Wicklow earlier in the competition – and they did that with the minimum of fuss with a 4-20 to 1-13 win in Ruislip.
All four goals for the Exiles came inside the opening 28 minutes with Conor O'Carroll grabbing a brace before further efforts from Sean Glynn and Dylan Dawson.
Having trailed by 10 points at the break, Tyrone were more competitive in the second half with their goal coming after 38 minutes.
There was nothing on the line as Meath hosted Donegal but the Tir Chonaill County won an entertaining contest on a 0-28 to 3-14 scoreline.
Nicky Potterton, Jack Regan, from a penalty, and James Murray grabbed the Royals with both sides finishing with 14 men following red cards for Meath's James Toher and Donegal's Kevin Kealy.
It'll be a Connacht derby in the Nickey Rackard final with Mayo set to meet Roscommon.
Ray Larkin's Mayo had already qualified and Fermanagh were already relegated but the teams still played out an entertaining draw, Mayo striking a late goal in the 1-22 to 3-16 stalemate.
Fermanagh had led for long swathes of the game despite Eoin Delaney's early goal for the visitors, and they led 1-12 to 1-08 at the turnaround with the experienced John Duffy finding the net.
A Jimmy Tormey point put Fermanagh 10 ahead in the 47th minute but Delaney scored a second goal and Corey Scahill scored a third goal four minutes into additional time.
Sean Corrigan thought he had won it for Fermanagh with a late, late score, but there was still time for Cormac Phillips to equalise.
Roscommon and Sligo ended the day level in second on five points but the Rossies had a big scoring difference advantage and a 4-17 to 0-20 win in Louth secured their place in the final with Sligo falling to Armagh.
The Wee County led 0-14 to 1-08 at half-time – Sean Canning with the Rossie goal – and further green flags from Brendan Mulry and a double from Canning to secure his hat-trick saw them turn it around.
Sligo needed a result and hope that Roscommon slipped up in Dowdallshill, but they fell to a 0-23 to 3-13 loss to Armagh.
Talented youngster Tómas Galvin and free-taker Shea Harvey kept the scoreboard ticking over for Armagh with two penalties from Andrew Kilcullen and a Darragh Flynn goal not proving enough for Sligo who had Kevin O'Kennedy sent off late on.
Monaghan dramatically secured a Lory Meagher Cup final date with Ulster neighbours Cavan after a late flurry of scores in the 2-20 to 2-20 draw with Longford in Inniskeen.
Longford looked set for a Croke Park date as they led by three points as the game ticked into the red – Ronan Courtney and David Buckley with their goals – but Monaghan fought back with Niall Arthur landing four scores in additional time to actually put the hosts ahead before Niall Hawes earned Longford a draw, if not a final spot.
Cavan were already qualified and lost 2-15 to 1-10 to Leitrim while Lancashire won a high-scoring English derby against Warwickshire, 0-26 to 4-13 with Miley Connors and Jack Grealish both grabbing two goals apiece in defeat.
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