By Frank Shouldice

Wexford 1-16 Galway 0-14

JOHN Meyler revitalized his troops to send Galway packing in a rousing NHL encounter at Nowlan Park. The manner of victory a first League win over Galway in 17 years will raise interest in their semifinal meeting with Leinster rivals Kilkenny next week and, providing that fixture does not swing easily the Cats’ way, puts fresh hope into the Slaneysider’s bid for honours this summer.

For Ger Loughnane it means almost three idle months before their championship kicks off. Galway need competitive games and they were expected to roll through this one, but they came off second best and now have too much time on their hands.

Once again Damien Fitzhenry produced heroics in goal, making two great saves and one miraculous stop from Eugene Cloonan. His defenders competed for everything, and with Diarmuid Lyng outstanding at midfield Wexford’s front six combined beautifully to score 1-14 from play.

Galway opened the scoring with points from Damien Hayes, Iarla Tannion and Cloonan, but Michael Jacob had the sides level after 10 minutes. In nip-and-tuck exchanges they were deadlocked on 0-9 apiece by halftime. Hayes had fluffed a goal chance and Fitzhenry brilliantly blocked a Broderick drive.

There was nothing between the sides going into the fourth quarter, but Stephen Nolan prompted his forwards and suddenly Wexford pulled away. Three unanswered points grew to six when Eoin Quigley flicked Rory Jacob’s high lob to the net.

The margin was decisive and despite a late Galway rally Wexford were in no mood to let it slip. A big surprise.

Waterford 1-20 Tipperary 1-19

TALK in Waterford that this year represents the last hurrah for this group of hurlers. They have been around for a while, collected a couple of Munster titles but failed to go all the way and lift the Liam McCarthy Cup.

On Sunday they edged out a younger and very game Tipperary side thanks to an injury-time point by Shane Walsh. There’s nothing like winning to keep a team ticking over but Justin McCarthy’s dilemma will be how to get the Decies peaking at the right time if they are to prove their collective worth in September.

Eoin Kelly struck 1-7 in the first half – the goal set up by Seamus Prendergast — as Waterford threatened to wipe Tipp out. Trailing by seven at halftime, John Carroll then got sent off for a late challenge on Aidan Kearney.

However 14-man Tipp staged a great comeback and called on Mullinahone marksman Eoin Kelly, playing for 56 minutes despite a stiff leg, to balance the scales. Twelve minutes from time Brendan Cummins launched a huge puckout which Paul Kelly despatched to the net.

Kelly’s goal left just a point between the sides, raising decibels in the closing stages. John Mullane and Tipp sub Willie Ryan traded scores. A fine Dan Shanahan point was cancelled out by Eamonn Corcoran’s sublime sideline cut before Ryan adorned the game with an equaliser. Walsh then broke the cover out on the right to clinch it and give the Decies a crack at rivals Cork next week.

Tyrone 1-11

Mayo 4-7

A HAT-trick by Conor Mortimer left Tyrone shellshocked at Omagh. Mickey Harte’s team will remain in Division One for 2008, but conceding four goals is hardly ideal preparation for the upcoming Ulster championship.

Tyrone hit the game’s first four points, but the sides were level when Mortimer rapped home a penalty after he was fouled by Justin McMahon.

Joe McMahon left the field injured and the game swung to the visitors. Alan Dillon found Mortimer at the back post for a goal just before halftime, and although Colm Cavanagh blasted home in the third quarter Tyrone were reduced to 14 men when Owen Mulligan picked up a red card for a trip on David Brady.

Brady then set up Trevor Howley for Mayo’s third goal and completed a very satisfactory afternoon by assisting Mortimer clinch his hat-trick.

Kildare 0-15

Laois 1-12

ANOTHER decisive League fixture at Newbridge saw Laois go tantalizingly close to a win that would have secured them a playoff spot.

In the end a draw was enough for Kildare to progress to the NFL semis for the first time in 10 years. It was a hugely competitive clash with the air of championship about it.

The sides were level on nine occasions and Beano McDonald produced a little magic to find Colm Parkinson with a reverse pass for the only goal of the game.

Kildare marksman John Doyle came in for some heavy treatment but he responded by hitting three points from play. Emmet Bolton and Padraig O’Neill gave the home side a one-point advantage at the break, but that lead was soon erased by Paul Lawlor.

In a big finish McDonald restored the advantage for Laois. Sub Tomás O’Connor equalised before Doyle converted a late free to separate the sides by a single point. McDonald replied in kind but Laois ran out of time desperately searching for an elusive winner.

Armagh 2-10 Westmeath 0-12

ARMAGH gained a reprieve from Division Three football with a stirring win at Crossmaglen. In fact they had to rely on Derry knocking Louth out of the equation and two goals by Steven McDonnell — one in each half — proved crucial as Westmeath stayed apace into the final quarter.

Aaron Kernan then clipped a vital point before McDonnell reacted quickest to a fumble by goakeeper Gary Connaughton.

Galway 3-11

Down 1-11

DOWN’S miserable season ended with an all-too predictable defeat against high-flying Galway. The Mourne men emerged with one draw from seven outings and slip into Division Three next year to rebuild on their footballing pedigree.

Benny Coulter’s first half goal gave Down hope and a Daniel Hughes point after the break left Galway three behind. However, Micheál Meehan then thumped home a penalty and two quick goals by Padraig and Nicky Joyce ensured a fifth win on-the-trot for Galway and a championship dress-rehearsal against Mayo next week.

Derry 3-18

Louth 1-11

DESPITE a promising start to the season Louth failed to hold onto Division Two status. They needed a victory in Celtic Park but were dismissed by 13 points in a display that undoes much of the progress made by Eamon McEneaney.

An early goal by Enda Muldoon paved the way, followed by six points from play by Paddy Bradley. Muldoon added a second goal and Mark Lynch grabbed another so that Derry remain comfortably in the top flight next year.

Their immediate worry is that captain Kevin McGuckin injured ankle ligaments, making him doubtful for the Ulster championship.

Donegal 1-13 Fermanagh 2-9

A LITTLE solace for Charlie Mulgrew as his team slumped to a seventh consecutive defeat to accept their fate as a Division Three team. With only pride to play for extended the league leaders and it took a late winner by Kevin Cassidy to preserve Donegal’s enviable unbeaten record.

Mark Little’s early goal boosted Fermanagh, and when Eamon Maguire grabbed a second after 14 minutes Donegal were in trouble. Denis Boyle, Adrian Sweeney and Michael Hegarty reeled in the deficit to leave it 0-6 to 2-4.

The margin remained the same with six minutes remaining. Cassidy thumped the ball to the net when Christy Toye had an effort blocked. Kevin McMenamin and Cassidy finished out the scoring with late points.

Dublin 2-7

Kerry 1-12

AN eighth consecutive season for Dublin failing to make the League playoffs. What’s more, they needed a win to retain Division One status, but not for the first time Paul Caffrey’s team came up short.

Michael Quirke and Seamus Scanlon deputised at midfield for the absent Dara Ó Sé and Tommy Griffin but the new pairing might light of the challenge posed by Ciaran Whelan and Darren Magee. Jason Sherlock pounced for a first half goal to give the Dubs a slender lead, but Gooch Cooper then fisted a reply before Bryan Sheehan landed a point to nudge the Kingdom in front.

Alan Brogan made an appearance after the break (in place of his brother Bernard). Mark Vaughan hit two splended long-range kicks to tie it up, but Kerry raised the tempo to hit four points without reply. Brogan then set up Paul Casey for a fine goal to restore parity but Declan Quill and Cooper picked off the winning points to decide the bigger issue.

Cork 0-17 Limerick 1-9

A RELEGATION dogfight at Páirc Uí Chaoimh stayed tight until the last quarter when Cork stretched out and Limerick, having lost midfielder John Galvin to injury, simply capitulated.

With Division Two status at stake Limerick needed to win and might have thought it would be their day when goalkeeper Sean Kiely palmed away Kevin O’Sullivan’s ninth minute penalty.

Michael Reidy then converted a spot-kick after 38 minutes. The scores were level again when Darren Horan’s point eight minutes later edged Limerick ahead by 1-8 to 0-10.

From there on Cork took over. Daniel Goulding, Kieran O’Connor, Dermot Hurley and James Masters piled on the scores and Limerick, despite having run most teams very close this season, took the bigger drop.

Wexford 2-10 Meath 0-9

WEXFORD needed to beat Meath by eight points to claim a Division 2B playoff spot, and when Redmond Barry stepped up to place a 32-yard free in injury-time they looked set to turn their season around. However Barry mis-hit the kick and with it went the chance to claim Division 2 football next season.

Wexford started out like they meant business with goals by Matty Forde and Rory Quinlivan sending them to a 2-9 to 0-2 half-time lead. Brian Farrell and Stephen Bray hauled Meath back into it and they just about held out to make the playoffs. Despite the outcome Wexford will take heart from the performance, steadying them for the championship after an indifferent start to the League . . .

CAVAN finished top of Division 2B with a comfortable 3-12 to 1-11 win over Waterford at Dungarvan. Defeat consigned the losers to Division 4 football next year where they will be joined by Antrim, Tipperary and Wicklow . . .

SLIGO escaped the drop by beating Wicklow (0-17 to 1-10) at Aughrim, while debutante C.J. McGourty hit 1-4 in Antrim’s 2-15 to 0-11 rout of Tipp.

The deferred Division 2A fixture saw Leitrim go third in the table by beating London unconvincingly by 0-13 to 0-10. Leitrim will be gunning for the remaining promotion slot next week but Roscommon, Longford, Offaly and Clare are all in with a shout. Carlow and London are already destined for NFL Division 4.