IT’S THE FIRST big day in the 2014 championship summer and we’re following the action all the way.
As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to fintan@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.
Results
Connacht SFC quarter-final
Roscommon 1-18 Leitrim 0-13
Leinster SFC first round
Laois 0-21 Wicklow 1-11
Longford 0-19 Offaly 0-15
Ulster SFC first round
Down 3-8 Tyrone 2-11
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Summer starts here. Hello and welcome along to the real start of the 2014 GAA championship. It’s the first big Sunday of the year and we’ll be following the action all the way.
Here’s what’s in store:
Connacht SFC
First Round
Roscommon v Leitrim, Dr Hyde Park, 3pm, (Ref: Conor Lane, Cork)
Leinster SFC
First Round
Longford v Offaly, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 3.30pm, (Ref: Martin Higgins, Fermanagh)
Wicklow v Laois, Aughrim, 3.30pm, (Ref: Rory Hickey, Clare)
Leinster SHC
Round 3 (Round-Robin)
London v Laois, Ruislip, 12.30pm, (Ref: John Keenan, Wicklow)
Carlow v Westmeath, Dr Cullen Park, 2pm, (Ref: Fergal Horgan, Tipperary)
Ulster SFC
Preliminary Round
Tyrone v Down, Healy Park, Omagh, 4pm, (Ref: David Coldrick, Meath)
First up is the meeting of Leitrim and Roscommon. Two late changes to the Leitrim team - Michael McWeeney & Conor Beirne in for Seán McWeeney & Robert Lowe.
Already we have news in of Laois defeating London in the Leinster senior hurling championship round-robin tie by 2-13 to 0-16. Neil Foyle and John Brophy found the net for Cheddar Plunkett’s side. Laois are now through to the Leinster senior hurling quarter-finals with a top-of-the-table clash beckoning against Antrim next Sunday.
Roscommon 0-2 Leitrim 0-1: 3 mins – Senan Kilbride and Cathal Cregg on the mark with early points for Roscommon.
Fans are making their way to matches around the country.
Roscommon 0-4 Leitrim 0-1: 6 mins – Ciaran Cafferkey and Kevin Higgins stretch Roscommon’s advantage.
Late change on the Tyrone team for their game against Down in Omagh.
Roscommon 0-5 Leitrim 0-2: 11 mins – Ciaran Murtagh with Roscommon’s latest point.
Roscommon 0-7 Leitrim 0-3: 16 mins – The home side remain in control.
The Sunday Game is back on our screens today for another summer. We took a look behind the scenes at RTE’s flagship GAA show.
Roscommon 0-9 Leitrim 0-5: 27 mins – A four point lead now for Roscommon approaching half-time.
The action is underway in today’s Leinster senior football ties in Aughrim and Pearse Park.
Roscommon 0-11 Leitrim 0-5: Kevin Higgins, the Western Gaels club man, grabs Roscommon’s latest point.
Offaly 0-1 Longford 0-1: 2 mins – Graham Guilfoyle (Offaly) and Francis McGee (Longford) swap early points.
Laois 0-1 Wicklow 0-0: 2 mins – Kevin Meaney sends Laois in to the lead at Aughrim.
No Colm Begley in the Laois squad today, a big source of debate as it seems he has been omitted for playing a club game with Parnells in the Dublin SFC during the week.
GOAL! Roscommon 1-12 Leitrim 0-5: Breakthrough for Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park with Ronan Stack rattling the back of the net.
Half-Time: Roscommon 1-12 Leitrim 0-5: The Division 3 league champions look to be in control as they lead by ten points at the break.
Offaly 0-4 Longford 0-2: Emmet McDonnell’s side making a little headway on the scoreboard.
Wicklow 0-2 Laois 0-2: 16 mins – James Finn brings Wicklow level with a point in Aughrim.
Offaly 0-7 Longford 0-3: Niall McNamee grabs his third point of the day for Offaly.
Late change on the Down team as throw-in approaches at Healy Park.
Wicklow 0-4 Laois 0-2: 20 mins – The momentum has swung towards Wicklow now, Seanie Furlong edging them two points ahead.
Under way in Omagh between Tyrone and Down.
Laois 0-8 Wicklow 0-5: 30 mins – Laois stretch their lead through a John O’Loughlin point.
Roscommon 1-13 Leitrim 0-8: A Kevin Conlon ’45 cuts the deficit that Leitrim face.
GOAL! Wicklow 1-5 Laois 0-8: 31 mins – Paul Cunningham gives Wicklow a huge boost as he fires home the opening goal of the game.
Tyrone 0-2 Down 0-0: 5 mins – Niall Morgan slots over a ’45 and that’s followed up by a Sean Cavanagh point from play. A wet day in Omagh which is going to create tricky conditions for the players.
Half-Time: Laois 0-8 Wicklow 1-5
Half-Time: Offaly 0-10 Longford 0-8
Tyrone 0-2 Down 0-1: 12 mins – Donal O’Hare has tapped over a free for Down.
Tyrone 0-3 Down 0-1: 16 mins – Darren McCurry has nudged Tyrone further ahead in a game that really has not caught life. It’s turgid stuff so far.
Roscommon 1-15 Leitrim 0-11: 57 mins – You’d have to fancy Roscommon to see it out from here. They’re seven points up with 13 minutes to go and a semi-final spot against Mayo beckons.
Penalty for Tyrone!
Goal from Peter Harte!
Tyrone 1-4 Down 0-2: 25 mins – Cracking strike to the back of the net by Peter Harte. He finished really emphatically there after Mark Donnelly had been hauled down by Conor Maginn and the penalty was subsequently awarded. Points had been traded before that by Donal O’Hare and Sean Cavanagh.
Here’s the foul that lead to that penalty.
Longford 0-10 Offaly 0-10: All square now in Pearse Park.
Result: Roscommon 1-18 Leitrim 0-13
Tyrone 1-5 Down 0-3: 33 mins – Ambrose Rogers and Kyle Coney swap points.
Longford 0-12 Offaly 0-11: Michael Quinn edges Longford ahead.
Half-Time: Tyrone 1-5 Down 0-3
Wicklow 1-7 Laois 0-8: Points by Rory Finn and Seanie Furlong edge Wicklow in front.
13,266 is the attendance in Omagh.
Laois 0-12 Wicklow 1-8: 45 mins – Laois have edged ahead by a point in Aughrim.
Laois 0-14 Wicklow 1-8: Ross Munnelly (2) and Donie Kingston help Laois pull clear.
Three changes to the Down team at half-time - Benny Coulter on for Peter Turley, Jerome Johnston on for Ambrose Rogers and Ryan Johnston on for Ryan Boyle.
Longford 0-18 Offaly 0-14: Paul Barden stretches Longford’s lead.
Penalty for Down, Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan receives a black card and on comes Michael O’Neill for his championship debut.
Aidan Carr fires to the net for Down!
Full-Time: Longford 0-19 Offaly 0-15
Tyrone 1-6 Down 1-3: 42 mins – Great point for Tyrone by Kyle Coney and a major boost after Aidan Carr smashed a fierce shot to the net from the penalty for Down before that.
Tyrone 1-7 Down 1-3: 43 mins – Kyle Coney again on the mark for Tyrone with a lovely point.
Tyrone 1-7 Down 1-4: 44 mins – Rain starting to bucket down in Omagh as Niall Madine shows the composure to tap over a point.
Tyrone 1-8 Down 1-4: 49 mins – Class point off his left from Sean Cavanagh for Tyrone.
Tyrone 1-8 Down 1-5: 50 mins – Conor Garvey pulls a point back for Down.
Laois 0-20 Wicklow 1-11: Six point lead for Laois and they look to be on course to play Dublin at the Leinster semi-final stage.
Ross Munnelly has hit 0-8 today for Laois, a brilliant display on the opening day out.
Big cheer amongst Tyrone fans as Stephen O’Neill comes on, moments after Darren McCurry pointed for Tyrone. Liam Doyle on for Down for the injured Jerome Johnston.
Goal for Tyrone from Darren McCurry!
Donal O’Hare goal for Down!
Result: Laois 0-21 Wicklow 1-11: Job done by Laois in Aughrim, they now go forward to meet Dublin at the quarter-final stage.
Tyrone 2-9 Down 2-5: 55 mins - Big drama in quick succession as Darren McCurry stylishly finishes a Tyrone team move to the net but Down hit back instantly with a goal from Donal O’Hare.
Conor Maginn goal for Down!
Tyrone 2-9 Down 3-6: 58 mins – The drama continues as Conor Maginn smashes home Down’s third goal after a Conor Laverty pass prised apart the Tyrone rearguard. Then Laverty points to bring the teams level.
Down 3-7 Tyrone 2-9: 60 mins – Mark Poland has kicked Down in front, incredible comeback by James McCartan’s side.
Tyrone bringing in the artillery to tighten up their defence with Justin McMahon and Conor Gormley in for Barry Tierney and Danny McBride.
Down 3-8 Tyrone 2-9: 63 mins – But Down are completely on top with Benny Coulter striking a brilliant point there.
Victories already today for Longford, Laois and Roscommon, are Down about to join them?
That’s a big chance missed there by Donal O’Hare as he knocks a close-range free wide.
Down 3-8 Tyrone 2-10: 71 mins – Now just the minimum between them as Sean Cavanagh knocks over a free.
Down 3-8 Tyrone 2-11: 74 mins – Sean Cavanagh points a late free for Tyrone.
Full-Time: Down 3-8 Tyrone 2-11
It’s ended in a draw in Omagh after that superb kick by Cavanagh.
Cracking second-half after such a poor start to the game. Replay will likely take place in Newry next Saturday night.
Down have exposed Tyrone as ‘a mediocre team’, says Joe Brolly on The Sunday Game.
It’ll certainly be an interesting encounter next weekend and we’ll be following the action in Newry. Thanks for joining us today, we’ll be back later with analysis.
