Review: Allianz NFL Div 4 Week 6

In what has been an unpredictable division to call this season we have four teams gunning for the final next weekend as Wicklow’s failure to defeat Wexford has taken matters out of their own hands as it looks like they need a favour from Sligo result to progress at this point.

Leitrim Manager Andy Moran’s smile was as big as the stand in Avant Money Pairc Sean McDiarmada as his side threw the promotion hunt wide open into the last round of games with a hard fought two point victory over Laois yesterday afternoon.

Ben Brosnan’s late equalising point for Wexford at home to Wicklow on Saturday evening had set up the scenario where all four teams at the top of the table could realistically find themselves in a league final and promoted to Division 3 next week.

Carlow 0-11 Sligo 2-10, Netwatch Dr. Cullen Park

Sligo moved top of the league with a comfortable 2-10 to 0-11 victory over Carlow with 1-4 from top scorer Sean Carrabine and a 1-1 haul from Niall Murphy.

Murphys 10th minute goal kept them in touch with their hosts but it was the second major from Carrabine just before the half hour mark that sealed the deal for the Yeat’s County. 

Carlow rallied somewhat in the second half but a brace of points from Pat Spillane and Finnian Cawley either side of a Carrabine score pushed Sligo to victory and the top of the league table.

Sligo will make the short journey to Carrick on Shannon on Sunday for a big winner take all clash with Leitrim.

Waterford 2-9 London 2-5, Lemybrien

The only dead rubber of the weekend had that kind of feel around it and it took half an hour of action for a team to impress as the home side goaled through Darragh Corcoran. 

When Sean Whelan Barrett stretched the lead to six points on 47 minutes it looked like it was game over. London did mount a small comeback but the dismissal of James Gallagher looked to draw a line under their challenge and despite the late goal from Chris Farley the exiles weren’t able to get back into it.

Wexford 0-19 Wicklow 2-13, Chadwicks Wexford Park

Both sides impressive recent results had given both sides promotion hopes but they both needed a victory in this game to make that reality. Ultimately a draw will not have worked for either side as Wicklow lost control of their own destiny as Wexford’s league hopes were lost.

Wexford had looked solid through most of the first half with scores coming from a number of sources and enjoying a lead of two points at the break. They stretched that out to four before Eoin Darcy found the net to level matters with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Three scores from Ben Brosnan (2) and Sean Nolan opened a three point gap again before Wicklow reeled them in once more. It was when Darcy goaled again with five minutes on the clock that Wicklow finally got ahead. 

Mark Rossiter levelled before Darcy looked to have scored the winner four minutes into injury time only for Brosnan to find his fourth point of the day to level at the death.

Wicklow need a Leitrim victory or a Laois defeat to gain promotion as they face Waterford next Sunday.

Leitrim 2-14 Laois 0-18, Avant Money Pairc Sheain MacDiarmada

A real rollercoaster played out as both sides chased one of those elusive promotion spots. Laois started brightly and held an early lead through the boots of Paul Kingston and Mark Barry, who would finish with 0-7 and 0-8 respectively. 

Laois dominated the early exchanges but the game turned on its head when Evan Sweeney’s industry fed Keith Beirne for a close range tap in a crowded small square to put the home side ahead. The sides swapped scores until the break but it was the home side who lead by two at the break.

A fine individual goal from Pearce Dolan put Leitrim up by five but Laois hadn’t read the script. Six points in a row for the visitors saw them look like they would simply pull away. 

Some late substitutes proved the difference as Jack Heslin, James Rooney and Barry McNulty combined to score as Keith Beirne’s contribution of 1-8 was enough to keep Leitrim ahead despite the lose of two players later on. 

Leitrim will face Sligo next week in a winner take all clash. Laois need a victory from Leitrim too to avoid missing out to Wicklow on head to head result.