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Irish Examiner
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Hurling round-up: Cole fires Meath past Derry as London and Wicklow draw
Two razor-tight battles between Christy Ring Cup contenders ended with Meath picking up a crucial victory over Derry and gaining ground on the Oak Leaf County and both London and Wicklow, who played out a 2-17 each draw in Aughrim. A pair of Mikey Cole goals in the first half, both from long deliveries out of defence, were the difference at the end of 35 minutes in Celtic Park, when Meath led their hosts by 2-9 to 0-9. A blistering start to the second half saw Derry hit three points in a row before Damien Healy netted for Meath and Shéa Cassidy replied in kind for the home side, but they could never quite get on level terms and with the scores at 3-17 to 1-22, Cormac O'Doherty and Ruairí Ó Mianáin both missed late opportunities that would have ensured a share of the spoils. London's Donnacha Leahy didn't waste his chance to tie up the teams in Aughrim, as the former Blackrock (Limerick) man split the uprights in the second minute of stoppage time to deny Wicklow a third consecutive win in this competition. The Exiles held an early lead after David Devine and Jack Morrissey found the net midway through the first half, but Luke Evans netting for Wicklow reduced the gap to five by the interval, and they were clearly the better team in the second half. Evans' second goal on 41 minutes made it a nip and tuck contest and with 13 Wicklow players getting on the scoresheet by the end, it looked as if they had done enough when Warren Kavanagh nudged them into the lead with the first minute of added time played. It was much more straightforward at Carrickmore where Josh Connolly McGee (3-2), Declan Coulter (1-4), Luke White (1-1) and Gerry Gilmore (0-5) all filled their boots in a comprehensive 3-18 to 0-10 win for Donegal over Tyrone. It was a Connacht double in the two Nickey Rackard Cup games played this afternoon, with Mayo accounting for Louth by 2-24 to 2-18 in Castlebar while Sligo crushed Fermanagh by 7-20 to 2-18 in Enniskillen. Leon Fox scored two goals for Louth with Darren Geoghegan scoring freely from dead balls while Kieran McDermott and Sioman Thomas were Mayo's goalscorers in a game that was in the balance, 2-18 each, with 67 minutes played. Ryan Duffy, Shane Boland, Eoin Delaney, Daniel Huane and McDermott contributed to a run of six points in a row at the end of the game however, ensuring Mayo's third win of the campaign from three starts. Fermanagh actually led by two points (2-10 to 2-8) at half-time in Brewster Park but Andrew Kilcullen bagged 4-7 for Sligo including three second half goals, with Conor Griffin also striking a brace and Fergal O'Kelly Lynch adding a seventh late on for the rampant Yeats County. In the Lory Meaghar Cup, Cavan continued their excellent run of form with Liam O'Brien (0-10), Seán Keating (1-4) and Nicky Kenny (1-3) topping the scoring charts in their 3-24 to 2-14 win over Lancashire, while Monaghan beat Warwickshire 4-22 to 2-15 and it finished level in Pearse Park between Leitrim and Longford, 1-14 apiece.
RTÉ News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Hurling round-up: Christy Ring race blown wide open, Sligo go goal crazy
The race for Christy Ring final places was blown open as leaders Derry and Wicklow were unable to maintain their winning starts. The Oakleafers had started with back-to-back victories, but were beaten 3-18 to 1-22 by Meath at Celtic Park. Two goals in four minutes from Mikey Cole proved the difference at the break, the Royals leading 2-09 to 0-09, with Damien Healy's goal keeping them in control early in the second half. Derry, buoyed by Shea Cassidy firing to the net after Cormac O'Doherty's free attempt hit the post, battled back well, but the away side held on with the impressive Jack Regan sealing the win with a late free. Wicklow, meanwhile, drew 2-17 to 2-17 with London in Aughrim. Neil Rogers' side were excellent in the first half playing with the breeze with David Devine and Jack Morrissey raising green flags to give them a 2-10 to 1-08 lead at the break, Luke Evans scoring a goal for Wicklow just before the turnaround. Evans scored his second just minutes after the restart and with the elements now in their favour, the Garden County looked the more likely victors bur despite twice going in front late on, Donnacha Leahy was able to respond with a brace of scores for London. In the battle of the basement sides, Donegal stormed to a 5-18 to 0-10 win over Tyrone in Carrickmore. The result was never in doubt with Tir Chonaill goalkeeper and penalty expert Luke White putting the seal on it with by driving to the net for the final score. Sligo went goal crazy in the second half of their Nickey Rackard clash with Fermanagh as they left Enniskillen with a 7-20 to 2-18 win. The Yeats County had been under pressure at half time with goals from Luca McCusker and Sean Corrigan helping the home side lead 2-10 to 2-08 at half-time – Andrew Kilcullen and Conor Griffin with the Sligo goals. Five more would come in the second 35 minutes, Kilcullen getting three more, two from penalties, with Griggin and Fergal O'Kelly-Lynch also on target. Leaders Mayo had to dig deep to record a 2-23 to 2-18 win over a gallant Louth side at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. Underdogs Louth, who can pack a scoring punch, led 1-14 to 1-11 at the break despite Kieran McDermott nabbing an early goal for Mayo. The Wee County's response was rapid, Leon Fox netting and grabbing a few points with the ever-reliable Darren Geoghegan tagging on a few more to move them ahead at the break. Simon Thomas goaled for Mayo on the restart but again Louth responded, Fox driving a penalty high to Kevin Duffy's net. However, they couldn't shake Mayo off with the hosts hitting nine of the last 10 points to win. Cavan's 100% start to their Lory Meagher Cup campaign continued with a comfortable 3-24 to 2-14 win over Lancashire at Kingspan Breffni. Stephen Sheridan came up from the back to grab the home side's first goal in the 18th minute to move them 1-09 to 0-02 ahead, but the away side battled back to trail by just five at the break. Nicholas Kenny eased any home nerves with a second goal 44 minutes in with Lancashire's Paraic Burke and Cavan's Sean Keating exchanging goals before the end. Longford dropped their first point of the campaign as they were held to a 1-16 to 1-16 draw by Leitrim. Niall Hawes had found the net 27 minutes in as Longford led by a point at the break before a quickfire 1-02 – Sean O'Riordan with the goal – put Leitrim four up early in the second half. That lead was up to five midway through the half but the likes of Hawes, Reuben Murray and Martin Farrell were all on target for Longford to ensure the spoils were shared. Monaghan moved within a point of second-placed Longford with a high-scoring 4-22 to 2-15 win over Warwickshire in Inniskeen. James Slevin opened the scoring with a goal for the home side and a Shane Slevin double helped them into a 3-08 to 0-10 half-time lead. Kevin Murphy and the dangerous Jack Grealish replied with goals for Warwickshire in the second period, but Michael Lyons hit the net for Monaghan's fourth major to secure a good afternoon's work. Watch a Munster Hurling Championship double-header, Waterford v Clare and Cork v Tipperary, on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
