‘Louth’ and clear message for hurlers
Caitlin and Padraig Connolly, Athleague, following the fortunes of the Roscommon intermediate footballers against Antrim in Enfield on Sunday week last. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin
After three rounds, the Division Three Hurling League has a congested look to it. Four teams are on four points with Donegal and Roscommon having a game less played than Wicklow and Louth.
The key result last time out was Wicklow beating Tyrone away. If Roscommon can keep winning, they’ll have the head-to-head result (a win) against Wicklow as their get out of jail card.
The key game this Saturday is Louth at home to Roscommon where another win for Brian Hanley’s men will leave them with massive home games against Tyrone and Donegal.
Elsewhere this weekend, Donegal and Tyrone should account for Armagh and Fermanagh respectively, ensuring the two promotion spots will go right down to the wire.
The good news for Roscommon is that Donegal have Wicklow at home in Letterkenny in the penultimate game. If the Ulster men win that one, Roscommon will be in the driving seat if they can clinch a hat-trick of wins against Louth, Tyrone and Fermanagh.
The latest leg of the promotion mission brings Roscommon to Daver on Saturday afternoon. It’s another game that the Primrose and Blue should win. But beating Armagh and Louth won’t earn the right for Roscommon to put the cherry on top of the cake. That can wait for further down the line.
Right now, it’s about putting the right ingredients into the bowl to ensure Roscommon beat the sides they are expected to. But the visitors need to be aware that Louth have the top scorer in Division Three in Darren Geoghegan with 0-25 and the top scorer from play in Ciarán McKelvey with 2-12.
Granted that the Roscommon defence will have to be on their toes, one would expect that, entering the final quarter, their quality and bench will secure victory number three.
While the timing isn’t perfect a few weeks out from the start of the club leagues, county and Connacht intermediate football champions Strokestown have enough fitness built up from their exploits in 2025 to buy time before appointing a new manager.
Pearse McGinley has stepped aside after two years in charge, leaving the Town as a senior club in Roscommon.
The past two Black and Amber managers have been home grown. John Rogers guided the ‘Town to an incredible Fahey Cup success in 2022 before suffering relegation the following season.
Pearse McGinley was given the job of lifting the club back to senior status. While it took him two bites of the cherry to reach the promised land, the East Roscommon club is back where it belongs among the 12 senior apostles.
The first priority for the new man will be to maintain the team’s senior football championship status. But there is enough quality in the squad to ensure that they won’t be just settling for survival. A place in the knockout stages must be their target.
Meanwhile, it is believed that Roscommon Gaels have appointed Paul McGarry of Ballina as their new senior team football manager. McGarry will be following in the footsteps of another Mayo man, Damien Mulligan, who has taken up the baton at St. Brigid’s.
Of this year's 12 senior championship clubs, seven will have changed managers since last season.
After 493 days, there was “no win, no trim” for Manchester United supporter Frank Ilett as the Red Devils’ five-in-a-row bid against West Ham received a “Hammer blow”. But at least last week’s Tuesday Teaser had a “blade one” feel to it.
Can you name the only player in Premier League history to score three hat-tricks in the first half of a match? It was Chelsea’s Cole Palmer who achieved the feat against Brighton, Everton and Wolves.
QPR, Frenchpark, was first in the queue for the barbers, with PJ Martin, Kiltoom; Fr. John McManus, PP Castlerea; Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; Michael Scally, Ballaghaderreen; John Croghan, Bundoran; Martin Walshe, Carrowbehy; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; John Wynne, Kilteevan; Bernard Duffy, Longford/Loughglynn; Mick Fetherston, Dublin; Luigi, Ballyhaunis; Mary McCarthy, Holloway; Kevin Flanagan, Dartford; Seán Heston, Toolan, and Michael Kearns, Clapham, also settling for a “short, back and sides”.
This week’s Teaser: Can you name the last two All-Ireland winning hurling goalkeepers who went on to manage their county to win the Liam MacCarthy Cup?
Answers by email to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s teaser comes from Limerick.
The last time the sides met in the league at Pearse Stadium, Roscommon stole it at the death with a Richard Hughes winner during Davy Burke’s first year in charge.
Those two points were pivotal to maintaining the Rossies’ Division One status. On Saturday evening, under the Salthill lights, the Primrose and Blue will be hoping to shine once more.
Game four is always a pivotal league fixture as it is a firm indicator where teams will end up entering the closing stretch of games.
Roscommon’s confidence is sky high — they are starting games like a Ferrari. Galway have produced incredible comebacks against Armagh and Kerry, but will be planning a more routine finish on this occasion.
This should be mighty close — the heart says Roscommon, the head says Galway.
The Roscommon intermediate ladies’ footballers need to start turning water into wine or, to use football parlance, draws into wins if they are to remain in the Division Three League promotion conversation.
After successive draws against Fermanagh and Antrim, Finbar Egan’s side will be skating on thin ice if they fail to beat another unbeaten side Down away on Sunday.
The top four — Antrim, Down, Louth and Roscommon — have yet to lose, with the Primrose and Blue two behind the leading trio who are tied on seven points.
Down, with wins over Laois and Clare and a share of the spoils on opening day against Louth, will fancy their chances on home soil.
Without playing sparkling football, Roscommon have displayed character and resilience to remain on the coat tails of the leaders. Over the three games to date, however, Down have looked the more polished side and are the more reliable bet to win this key promotion tussle.
Star pupil: Enda Smith is in the form that earned him an All-Star award in 2023.
Crucial win for: Roscommon over Armagh, which gives Mark Dowd’s side genuine hope of staying in Division One.
Much do better: After two successive defeats, Armagh find themselves in a battle to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle.
Spot of bother: Monaghan, Cavan, Offaly, Fermanagh, Waterford and Antrim have yet to win a game in the National Football League.
Weekend highlight: Forget Valentine’s Day, Roscommon’s performance against Armagh was the most romantic story of last weekend’s football league action.
What a cracker: Dublin and Kerry go together like bacon and cabbage as Croke Park serves up a traditional Irish dish on Saturday evening.
“All dreams are within reach. All you have to do is keep moving towards them.”
In five of the last six times Aston Villa and Newcastle United have clashed in the FA Cup, the winner has gone on to lift the trophy — Newcastle won last Saturday evening.
I have nothing against Éamonn Fitzmaurice, but why does he have to be the co-commentator on every Kerry game shown by RTÉ?
