Tyrone 1-17

Fingal 1-16

TYRONE HAVE BECOME the third Ulster team in three years to win the Nicky Rackard Cup after the narrowest of wins over Fingal in Croke Park today.

The Red Hands saw off a late fightback from the Dublin outfit to claim the one point win but it should have been much easier for the northerners as they were leading by seven points with just 14 minutes remaining.

A Christopher Cross goal after 23 minutes looked to give Tyrone the advantage but Fingal, in the form of seven points from JM Sheridan, kept the game close; Gerard Gilmore’s score giving Tyrone a one point half time lead of 1-8 to 0-10.

Scores from Gerard Gilmore and captain Damien Casey put Tyrone well in control midway through the second half. However, Fingal were far from finished and when Dave Smyth pulled back a stoppage time goal, there was just a point between the sides.

However, time just ran out for Fingal and it is the Ulster men who are crowned Nicky Rackard Cup for the first time.

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Longford 3-18

Fermanagh 3-16

Martin Coyle lifts The Lory Meagher Cup for Longford. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

LONGFORD PUT THE disappointment of falling at the final hurdle last year to claim a two point win over Fermanagh in Croke Park today to claim their second Lory Meagher Cup in five years.

That the game was such a tight affair should be no surprise. Both sides went into it having won all their games in the competition with the exception of their 2-15 to 1-18 draw in round three.

Cathal Mullane eased Longford into a lead in the early stages but Fermanagh’s Declan McGarry gave the 2012 beaten finalists a massive lift with a goal on ten minutes to put them 1-1 to 0-2 in front.

While Longford worked their way back into the game with points from Johnny Casey and Eoin Donnellan, McGarry’s second goal put Fermanagh on top once more and, despite Joe O’Brien grabbing a maximum of his own, it was the Ulster side who went into the half-time break with a 2-8 to 1-10 lead.

However, it was Longford who had much the better start to the second half with points from Donnellan and O’Brien edging them ahead before the latter bagged his second goal of the game to give them a four point lead on 39 minutes.

Fermanagh’s cause was not helped when they were reduced to 14-men following Daniel Teague’s second yellow card before Donnellan scored Longford’s third goal to put six points between the sides.

With Conor Egan dismissed for Frank Browne’s men to level things up, Fermanagh began to chip away and McGarry’s third goal left just one point between them on 66 minutes.

However, Donnellan steadied the nerves with another point, his ninth, soon after and – with McGarry mishitting a 21m free in injury time – it was Longford who ran out winners.

Updated at 15.00.

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