It was a weekend of mixed fortunes for the Tribesmen, with their hurlers having an impressive 2-20 to 0-14 win in Offaly but their footballers falling to a narrow 0-14 to 1-10 defeat in Tuam against high flying Kerry. A lightening fast Galway start had them 0-6 0-0 ahead before Offaly knew what hit them, with Jason Flynn striking for 0-13 on the way to a good win for Mícheál Donoghue’s charges. Next up they face a tricky away game in Waterford who sit a point below them in the table. The footballers dramatically snatched the lead in the closing stages through an opportunistic Danny Cummins goal, but Kevin Walsh will be disappointed that his team allowed Kerry back in for two more late points to take the win at the death. They now travel to play old rivals Mayo in MacHale Park on Saturday night in Round 5.
Sligo footballers are now staring down the barrel of relegation to the basement division with a very poor 5-16 to 0-16 loss in Drogheda to Louth. The game turned on its head in an 8 minute spell in the first half, as Louth scored three goals in rapid succession to turn a three-point deficit into a six-point lead. Sligo now desperately need to beat Westmeath at home to kick start their season next weekend in Markievicz Park in Round 5. Sligo hurlers enjoyed a bye week but will travel to Longford next weekend in a top of the table clash.
Leritrm footballers continued their unbeaten start to Division 4 with another dramatic one point victory, this time in Kilmallock against Limerick. It was Domhnaill Flynn in Round 3 that won it for them with a late point against Antrim and this week it was Mark Plunkett, giving Terry Hyland’s men a 0-12 0-11 win. Leitrim now host London in Round 5 looking to secure Promotion to Division 3. Leitrim hurlers were beaten 1-12 to 2-15 at home to Fermanagh and are at the bottom of Division 4, still without a win.
James Horan fell to his first defeat in his second coming as Mayo manager with a very disappointing 1-12 to 0-7 loss to Dublin on Saturday night in Croke Park. Andy Moran missed a first half penalty from which Mayo never recovered, as Cormac Costelloe struck for 1-4 for Dublin. Mayo have to dust themselves down and bounce back next weekend at home to Galway in Saturday night and are still very much in the hunt for a spot in the League Final. It was an even worse weekend for the Mayo hurlers who fell to an 18 point thrashing at home in Ballina to Antrim. They travel to Westmeath in Round 5 this weekend still searching for their first win of the competition.
Roscommon fell to a comprehensive 3-13 0-13 in Breffni Park, Cavan on Sunday in what could end up being a crucial loss when all is said and done after Round 7. The loss of Ultan Harney to a straight red for what looked to be an innocuous looking coming together with a Cavan player proved to be decisive, although Cavan were on balance much better throughout. The Dubs are in town for Roscommon next weekend, with Hyde Park the venue at 2pm on Sunday. The Rossie hurlers travel to Lancashire in Round 5 of Division 3A looking to build on an excellent 1-25 to 1-11 win over Tyrone on Sunday.
