Lilywhites take a chink out of Dubs’ armour

It is likely to have precious little effect on the rest of the season, but Kildare will take heart from a fine win over Dublin in the O’Byrne Cup semi-final today.

As is evident from the quite comical picture above, it was a feisty encounter and Kildare’s Eoghan O’Flaherty and Dublin’s Paul Brogan both saw red, but in the end, the Lilywhites came out on top by six points in Newbridge. Who needs Seanie Johnston after all?

Down south in the McGrath Cup, Cork had it easy against CIT in Páirc Uí Rinn with Paul Kerrigan plundering 1-6 as the Rebels ran out 16 point winners.

They’ll meet Tipperary in the final on Sunday after the Premier easily disposed of the challenge of UCC. For the second game in succession, goal machine Barry Grogan came up trumps for Tipp, raising the only green flag of the game and Tipp will be looking to him to do the business again when they take on Conor Counihan’s charges in Clonmel this day week.

In the McKenna Cup, Derry had two points to spare over Down in the Athletic Grounds in Armagh and although Peter Canavan might have been forgiven for thinking that this manager lark is easy at the beginning of his Fermanagh reign, Tyrone served up some home truths with a 11-point victory in the second game of the day.

Last week in the FBD League, it was four goal Danny Kirby from Mayo stealing the headlines; this weekend it was Galway’s Michael Martin, who ended the game with 2-3 to his name as the Tribesmen recorded a comfortable victory over Sligo.

Mayo once again came out on top in a repeat of last year’s Connacht Final at Ballinlough, defeating close neighbours Roscommon by a brace of points. Elsewhere, Leitrim ran out seven point winners over GMIT in Strokestown.

Today’s Gaelic Football Results:

O’Byrne Cup

Kildare 1-11 Dublin 1-8

McGrath Cup

Cork 2-17 CIT 0-7

Tipperary 1-15 UCC 0-9

McKenna Cup

Derry 0-11 Down 0-9

Tyrone 2-12 Fermanagh 1-4

FBD League

Galway 4-9 Sligo 0-12

Mayo 0-14 Roscommon 1-9

Leitrim 1-11 GMIT 0-7