Antrim and Fermanagh score Tailteann Cup victories
Antrim and Fermanagh are through to Round 2A of the Tailteann Cup thanks to respective wins on Sunday. At Netwatch Cullen Park, Mark Doran's Saffrons came through in an extra-time thriller with Benen Kelly's last-gasp goal snatching a 6-17 to 2-26 against the league Division Four champions. Fermanagh's victory at Brewster Park was a little more straightforward as they claimed a 1-24 to 2-17 victory over Longford thanks to a strong finish.
In Carlow, Antrim made much the better start and first half-goals from Ronan Boyle plus a two-pointer by Dominic McEnhill helped the Ulster side into a 2-10 to 0-7 lead at the half. After an exchange of points early in the second half, Eoghan McCabe netted a third Antrim goal to push the gap out to 12, but Carlow summoned a response as goal from Padraig Bolger and a Lee Walker penalty halved the deficit. The gap was down to two when Pat Shivers found a fourth Antrim goal, but Carlow were not done and battled back with Adam McCarron's two-point free levelling it and a Jamie Clarke point edged them ahead for the first time.
Joseph Finnegan rescued the situation for Antrim for force extra-time - 4-16 to 2-22 - and a Ryan McQuillan goal was the only score of the first period of extra-time as the Saffrons led again. Carlow had the better of it in the second period with Conor Crowley levelling late on, but there was time for one last attack before penalties were required and Antrim worked the ball to Kelly to seal a dramatic win. Fermanagh finish strong to claim win At Brewster Park, Longford hit a fifth-minute goal through Oisin O'Toole but Conor Love hit back in kind to level it at 1-2 apiece early on.
The visitors moved four clear, but scores from Sean Cassidy, Darragh McGurn and Love narrowed the gap to the minimum and that was the margin at the half after McGurn and Joe McDade cancelled out a two-pointer by Dylan Farrell left Longford 1-10 to 1-9 ahead at the break. Fermanagh hit five of the first seven points after the break to edge two ahead, but were hit by a second goal in the 45th minute by Farrell to tip the balance back towards Longford. While Josh Largo Ellis tied it up and points from McGurn and Ciaran Corrigan helped Fermanagh back in front, scores from Oran Kenny tied the game once more with 10 to play.
Fermanagh would kick on for home with a Stephen McGullion two-pointer a big momentum swing as Corrigan, Ronan McCaffrey, Shane McGullion and Oisin Kelm - who was Fermanagh's 13th scorer in all - kicked points and a late two-pointer from Longford's Farrell - which brought his own tally to 1-7 - proved consolation for the visitors. Tailteann Cup Round One results Saturday Clare 1-14 Offaly 1-17 Wexford 2-19 Limerick 1-11 Sunday Sligo 1-12 Tipperary 0-17 Carlow 2-26 Antrim 6-17 (extra-time) Waterford 0-10 London 5-12 Laois 1-23 Wicklow 0-19 Fermanagh 1-24 Longford 2-17 Down v Leitrim (16 May)