We’re reaching the business end. Of January.
With the Allianz Leagues just around the corner, pre-season competitions are coming to a close and one thing is for sure, Dublin won’t be winning four cups this year.
The All-Ireland champions, and Leinster champions, and league champions, and O’Byrne Cup champions were eliminated by a hungry Longford outfit who are really putting their hands up early in the season.
Now it’s looking like this:
McKenna Cup final: Derry v Tyrone
O’Byrne Cup final: Meath v Longford
Connacht FDB final: Galway v Roscommon
McGrath Cup final: Cork v Clare
Longford shocked the Dubs with a convincing 1-12 to 0-9 victory. The capital attack was kept silenced at a rain-ruined Pearse Park despite boasting Paddy Andrews, Dean Rock and Cormac Costello.
A late Liam Connerton goal sealed a closing flurry from the blue and yellow jerseys who marched to the decider to take on Meath after the Royals did the business over Louth.
Derry and Tyrone meanwhile set up what will be their second meeting of at least four clashes this season. The championship opponents, who played out a cracker in front of 5,000 people last week, will meet again in the McKenna Cup final after the free-scoring Oak Leaf outfit racked up 1-17 against Cavan.
Galway, meanwhile, are ready for a final clash with the Rossies out west after Kevin McStay’s men shocked Mayo. Roscommon beat the Connacht champions 0-13 to 0-10 and Galway saw off the threat of GMIT.
In the hurling, David Hannon scored 1-9 as Limerick beat Cork and Offaly enjoyed a rare win over Kilkenny as they booked their place in the Walsh Cup semi-final.
Walsh Cup semi-final: Offaly v Wexford; Galway v Dublin
FOOTBALL
O’Byrne Cup semi-finals
Longford 1-12 Dublin 0-9
Louth 0-10 Meath 0-11
McKenna Cup semi-finals
Cavan 1-10 Derry 1-17
Fermanagh 0-10 Tyrone 1-13
FBD SFL Round 3
Galway 0-16 GMIT 1-5
IT Sligo 0-6 NUIG 4-10
Leitrim 1-11 Sligo 1-6
Roscommon 0-13 Mayo 0-10
McGrath Cup Round 3
Tipperary 0-10 Kerry 0-16
Limerick 0-7 Waterford 2-7
HURLING
Walsh Cup Round 3
Offaly 3-9 Kilkenny 1-9
Laois 1-9 Dublin 2-20
Carlow 0-7 Wexford 1-21
Westmeath 0-17 Galway 3-18
DCU 1-20 NUIG 1-20
Munster SHL Round 4
Cork 0-18 Limerick 3-17
Waterford 1-09 Clare 1-20
Kehoe Cup Round 1
Longford 1-14 St Pats/Mater Dei 5-17
Kildare 5-23 Trinity College 0-4
Wicklow 2-10 Maynooth University 3-15
Louth 4-10 Fingal 1-17
