Tailteann Cup
Group 1
Longford 1-16 Waterford 4-12
Kildare 1-16 Leitrim 0-12
Group 2
Wexford 0-12 Tipperary 3-5
Group 3
Fermanagh 3-11 Laois 2-13
Wicklow 0-15 Carlow 1-9
Group 4
Limerick 2-14 London 0-10
***
WATERFORD HAVE DUMPED Longford out of the Tailteann Cup after a five-point victory which condemns Paddy Christie’s side to a third straight defeat in Group 1.
Goals from Tholom Guiry, an Alan Dunwoody penalty and a brace from Stephen Curry steered Waterford to victory against Longford in Portlaoise. Daniel Mimnagh struck for the net for Longford in the first half but it wasn’t enough to prevent a win for Waterford, who are eliminated despite taking third place in the group.
Elsewhere in Group 1 on Saturday, Niall Kelly’s first-half goal helped Kildare to a 1-16 to 0-12 win over Leitrim which sees the Lilywhites top the group and go straight through to the last eight.
In Group 2, Wexford also bowed out of the competition after Tipperary earned a dramatic win following a late goal from a Stephen Grogan sideline which ended up in the net.
Seán O’Connor and Paudie Feehan both scored goals for Tipp in the opening 20 minutes of the game but Wexford responded and eventually took the lead through points from Seán Nolan in the second half.
Liam Coleman extended their lead to two points shortly after but Tipp hit a late 1-1 to steal the win and secure progression in third place.
In Group 3, Fermanagh got the better of Laois to secure a home quarter-final as group winners. Wicklow defeated Carlow in the other game of that group, meaning Laois will take second place to give them a home game in the preliminary quarter-final.
Callum Jones scored two goals for Fermanagh while Conor McShea also rattled the net. Laois scored a first-half goal through Evan O’Carroll before Mark Barry converted a penalty in the second half to leave Laois leading by the minimum inside the closing 20 minutes of the second half.
But it was Fermanagh who prevailed as Jones scored a penalty before the sides traded points up to the final whistle.
Wicklow take third place in that group after leapfrogging Carlow with a three-point win. Kevin Quinn six points as Wicklow grabbed the last four points of the game to seal the result.
Meanwhile, in Group 4, Limerick have secured a home preliminary quarter-final following a win over London, Danny Neville and Paul Maher providing the crucial first-half goals.
Michael Maher’s Exiles also advance to the preliminary quarter-finals as they hold the head-to-head over Offaly in Group 4, and will progress as one of the three best third-placed teams even if the Faithful shock Down tomorrow.
Tailteann Cup Preliminary Quarter-Finals
Leitrim v TBC
Sligo/Antrim v TBC
Laois v TBC
Limerick v TBC
(London, Wicklow, Tipperary and New York enter the PQF draw, which takes place Sunday 5.40pm)
– Fixtures to be played 8/9 June; home team listed first
Quarter-Finals
Kildare v PQF Winner
Sligo/Antrim v PQF Winner
Fermanagh v PQF Winner
Down v PQF Winner
– Fixtures to be played 15/16 June; home team listed first
Congrats to everyone who got an award there tonight, all well deserved. Thought probably the most hotly contested one was the young player of the year award. I’d have given it to Jeremy Loughman but equally it could have been Fineen wycherly too and in the same breath you cAnt argue with goggin winning it either.
@Jim Demps: g’wan Jim Jim. We know you want an award as well: The mystic meg memorial award
@Roibeard O’ Beachain: good contribution.
@Jim Demps: Goggin looked sharp when he came on the other day, like to see more of him AND Sammy, and Bill, and Casey, and Flannery and both Wycherly’s AND the list goes on.
@thesaltyurchin: yeah I’d fully expect you’ll see plenty more of them next year. This season seems to be about sorting out the squad in terms of the players Van Graan wants and thinks are up to it and the ones who will move on. The young players he likes have seen plenty of action. It’ll be very interesting to see the academy players once it’s finalised. I know James McCarthy and Matt more are gone and I’d expect some more as well and then there will be plenty of additions.
A Cork person was definitely picking those awards…!
@Treaty Bhoy: why do you do it
Will never understand giving awards to referees?? They should all be doing the exact same job, so why pick one out and say you are doing it better. Is there any other sport that does this??
@Kyle Mac Creddin: Soccer, GAA do it. Plenty others as well.
Why not recognise referees as much as players/coaches/teams for work/successes during the season?
@Ormond: Exactly. Players are thought the same things but some perform better than other, it’s the same for referees.
@Kyle Mac Creddin: Is there a sport that doesn’t do this? If you don’t have referees, you don’t have games. Playing is the easy part, I often wonder what makes someone want to ref. They deserve the awards and recognition for excelling as much if not more than players.
Unbelievable performance from Donal L.
Congrats to all the award winners. A special congrats and thank you to Donal Lenihan, Munster’s and Ireland’s
greatest rugby performer on and off the field.
Think Goggin had a fantastic season very strong and quick in the centre. I would have had no complaint if whycherly got it as he has also been fantastic this season.
@Top Class: hopefully Wycherley has a good future ahead of him in Red, and he’s only 21. Agree he would have been a worthy winner of the award, he’s made a great impact this season.