Antrim collected their first league victory while Fermanagh, Cavan and Westmeath also added wins in what is shaping up to be a tight contest to escape the third tier.
Tipperary 0-14 Antrim 1-19 @ FBD Semple Stadium
Antrim will be delighted to have their first result of the league after close defeats in the opening two rounds. An early Conor Stewart goal set the tone of the game and the Saffrons led their Munster opponents by five points at the break.
The visitors to Semple continued to extend their tally after the break, with Pat Shivers sending two balls over the black spot in quick succession. Antrim led by 12 points at one stage but the Premier County clawed them back somewhat. Either way, Tipp look some way off their form of recent years and look likely to go down.
Fermanagh 2-14 Down 3-10 @ Brewster Park
Fermanagh came back to leap ahead of Ulster rivals Down to manage their second victory in the third tier. The exploits of substitute Sean Quigley were vital to Fermanagh’s faith in what was an exciting fixture in Ederney.
Down’s Odhran Murdock struck a penalty just before half-time to see Fermanagh lead 0-11 to 1-05 at the break, and the visitors plowed on after play resumed with another goal.
Conor McGee’s goal sent the home side ahead by a point in the 58th minute but Down’s Conor Francis hit his side’s third goal in the 69th minute. It looked as if the visitors would take the day but Quigley punched the ball from Down ‘keeper Niall Kane in the 74th minute to find a dramatic win for Fermanagh.
Cavan 1-19 Longford 0-11 @ Breffni Stadium
Longford’s league woes worsened at the weekend after they endured an 11-point loss to promotion pushers Cavan.
The Breffni were convincing winners and led 1-9 to 0-5 at the half-time break. Shortly after the restart, Joe Hagan was red carded and the hosts had an even greater advantage and soon had an eight point lead.
Gerard Smith extended Cavan’s lead to ten with nine minutes remaining and a Connor Madden score added to the third tier misery that the Slashers are currently finding themselves in.
Westmeath 2-12 Offaly 0-12 @ Cusack Park
Westmeath further outlined their status as promotion contenders after overcoming Offaly in Mullingar. It was the Tailteann Cup holders’ goals that were the difference in this all-Leinster clash.
Despite John Heslin’s penalty strike early on, the hosts trailed Offaly by two points at the interval. Home advantage proved useful to see Westmeath level in the 61st minute after substitute Kieran Martin hit a second goal for the team.
From this point Westmeath took charge and did enough to see out the game. The Faithful will be disappointed with their unbeaten run coming to an end but they just couldn’t find the goals they found previously to really contend.
