Division 1ALongford shock neighbours Westmeath 1-13 Longford 2-12 Crucial goals by the Barden brothers, Paul and David, helped make it a day to remember for Longford supporters as their favourites shocked homesters Westmeath in front of some 12,000 fans at Cusack Park, Mullingar. In a game which lived up to pre-match expectations, the destination of the spoils were in doubt up right through to the 44 minutes played in the second half. The first 18 minutes were a typically see-saw affair with the sides on level terms at 0-2 apiece with fine points by Joe Fallon and Dennis Glennon reflecting some enterprising play. The play continued to be of the cavalier variety and Westmeath 'keeper Gary Connaughton was one of the busiest players on the field as the first half gathered pace. It was Connaughton's opposite number Damien Sheridan though who was put under the most serious scrutiny of all though when, in the 28th minute, he failed to prevent Paul Barden's penalty strike from crossing the goal-line. Westmeath remained very much in the hunt though with a brace of spectacular points by Dessie Dolan only for Martin Flanagan with a '45 and Paul Barden to pop up again with a point to extend their side's early advantage. Trailing by 0-6 to 1-7 on the restart, Westmeath edged closer to their opponents with a fine Dessie Dolan point but almost immediately Padraic Davis hit back for Longford. Westmeath continued to work hard to get back on terms and a brillant point by Derek Heavin added to their momentum. Westmeath looked dangerous in pushing forward and when Dessie Dolan was fouled, Martin Flanagan rifled home the penalty to really put the cat among the pidgeons. The subsequent dismissal though of Rory O'Connell proved a major setback though for the host team but with 11 minutes played, only a goal separated the sides as Longford struggled to hold onto their 1-10 to 1-7 lead. A lovely David Hannify point added to the growing tension and when Longford''s David Barden cracked home a great goal, Denis Connerton's men looked home and dry. However when the aforementioned Barden saw red in the 43rd minute, it looked as if the tide was about to turn Westmeath's way. Not so. The visitors refused to buckle, despite the lengthy period of added-on, and deservedly secured their first win of the campaign. Tyrone show Harte for derby clash Tyrone 2-9 Fermanagh 0-10 Tyrone made five changes from the side that lost to Dublin last time out and duly found the winning formula against a fitful Fermanagh side at Omagh. Mark Harte, son of team boss Mickey, was the star of the show for the defending champions with his opening point after barely a minute setting the tone for a great personal display. Fermanagh were out of sorts in the opening half even if they hit the post in the 3rd minute and were denied in the follow-up by a fine piece of defensive work by Conor Gormley. It was all too easy for newcomer Harte and co. in the first half with Harte's splendidly taken goal in the 20th minute (from a Colm McCullagh assist) helping propel the homesters into a 1-3 to 0-0 cushioned lead. A great point one minute later by the aforementioned McCullagh and a sweet effort from all of 57 metres by Sean Kavanagh helped Tyrone turn the screw even further. Fermanagh remained under severe pressure and it wasn't until the 28th minute that Stephen Maguire opened their account with a converted free. Ahead by 1-6 to 0-1 on the restart, Tyrone didn't have it so easy from there on and despite early points by Eoin Mulligan and Kavanagh, the Ernesiders proceeded to out-score their opponents in the second half. Good work by Martin McGrath and fine markmanship by Maguire eased Fermanagh back into the match and to within three points of Tyrone. But despite Maguire firing over his seventh point of the day, Tyrone refused to allow themselves to be pegged back and, instead, put the icing on the cake with a McCullagh goal two minutes from time. Dublin demolished by masterful Mayo Mayo 1-10 Dublin 0-3 Dublin produced one of their poorest league displays for many years in going down tamely to a fired-up Mayo side at Castlebar. The Dubs were no more than workmanlike in the first half but dreadful after the restart as they failed to register a single score. Despite a bright and breezy start which saw them forge into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead after seven minutes, Dublin failed dismally to maintain any sort of consistency in their performance thereafter and suffered the consequences as a result. Conal Keaney and Tomas Quinn both pointed in that early spell and while Darren Homan later added another one in the 18th minute, that was as good as it got for the visitors. Neat points by the home side's Damien Munnelly, Kevin Malone and the in-form Austin O'Malley reflected a greater division of labour among the Connachtmen as they eased their way to a 0-4 to 0-3 lead. It was all one-way traffic thereafter though with Mayo scoring at will almost as the disjointed Dubs craved some leadership and inspiration but without success. And once Trevor Mortimer banged in a goal in the 28th minute the writing was truly on the wall for the metropolitans as they chased a 0-3 to 1-5 deficit. Mayo's strength and power subsequently proved just too much for Dublin. A brace of converted frees by Austin O'Malley stood out in stark contrast to Dublin's impotency as they failed to score from the 18th minute of the game onwards. Dublin were outclassed on the day and out of luck too with Tomas Quinn seeing his low shot hacked off the line and then the same player witnessed his penalty shot richochet to safety off the crossbar in the 24th minute of the second half. NFL Division 1B Cavan implode against lively Limerick Cavan 0-7 Limerick 0-11 Lively Limerick got the royal approval at Kingscourt from team boss Liam Kerins as kamikaze Cavan pushed the self-destruct button in a tempestuous Division 1B clash. The Treatymen dispensed with any peace deals in an explosive clash which saw yellow cards sprinkle the scene like confetti at a wedding. Fourteen yellows were handed out in all by under-pressure ref Shane Farrell (Dublin) while Cavanmen Pearse McKenna and Anthony Forde saw red in a mad five minute second half spell. Limerick's boss was far from happy with his troops at the interval as they went in trailing by 0-3 to 0-5 despite playing with a gusting breeze at their backs. And with Cavan's ploy of using midfield ace Dermot McCabe in a deep defensive role, the Munstermen struggled to find the key to unlock the back-tracking homesters. The Limerick lads were much improved on the restart though and were ahead by the 54th minute, 0-7 to 0-6, thanks, in part, to yet another with pin-point Muiris Gavin free. With the dismissals of McKenna and Forde in the 55th and 60th minutes, Cavan's cause took a massive nosedive. As Cavan's discipline went to pieces, Limerick's confidence soared and the points followed in stylish style. Limerick proceeded to simply canter their way to the winner's enclosure thereafter with exquisite late points from Eoin Keating and Stephen Kelly. Basement bottom side Cavan could only muster two points in the second half, both from lone star Gerald Pierson in the 41st and 69th minutes in a game team boss Eamon Coleman will want to forget. Galway win on the double Galway 0-16 Armagh 0-8 Galway cruised to a double scores win over a lethargic Armagh side in a largely one-sided affair at Pearse Stadium which saw three players red-carded. In a lively opening eight minutes, the home side posted notice of their intention to grab both points at stake with man of the match Nicholas Joyce and cousin Padraic Joyce easing their side into a 0-2 to 0-1 lead. Nicholas Joyce had a good goal chance moments later but Armagh 'keeper Hearty was equal to the task. Armagh were sluggish in most areas of the field but a Stephen McDonnell free helped boost their cause. Back came the homesters though with neat points by Michael Donnellan and Derek Savage to open up a three point lead after 16 minutes. Galway continued to show much greater sharpness in front of goal and after Armagh notched some bad wides, Matthew Clancy popped up to fire over two points in quick succession. Ahead on the restart by 0-9 to 0-3, Galway's forwards - six of whom had scored in the first half - proceeded to lord it over their direct markers. Two further points by Clancy, Donnellan and Nicholas Joyce had the Tribesmen on easy street as Armagh struggled to string any worthwhile moves together. A point apiece by Paul McCormack and Diarmaid Marsden did give the northerners some hope but it was a forelorn one. Two more points by McDonnell added to Armagh's impetus but it was quickly arrested with his dismissal plus that of colleague Paddy McKeever. Galway's advantage was never seriously threatened even when they had Michael Comer sent to the line. Slick Sligo on top Laois 0-8 Sligo 2-6 Slick Sligo made it two wins from two starts with yet another impressive win, thanks in the main to two penalty conversions by Paul Taylor. Sligo were much too good for a Laois side which lacked urgency in what turned out to be an entertaining tie at Portlaoise. A Paul Lawlor converted free gave the homesters an early lead and while Chris Conway added a superb point later on to help his side into a 0-3 to 0-2 lead by the 23rd minute, the signs were ominous for the Leinstermen when Dessie Sloyan crashed a great shot against the Laois bar. Sligo slowly but surely edged matters on the possession front and a brace of points by the in-form Paul Taylor helped turn the tide in the visitors' favour. With both defences on top, chances were at a premium for the most part and at half-time the spoils were very much up for grabs as Laois hung onto a 0-5 to 0-3 lead with points by Darren Rooney and Kevin Fitzpatrick being added to by a Paul Taylor effort in the 33rd minute. The game was turned on its head though shortly after the restart when Taylor put away two fine penalties awarded after fouls on Michael McNamara and Dessie Sloyan. Taylor's majors put Sligo 2-5 to 0-6 in front and in the comfort zone. Model win for underdogs Wexford 0-10 Meath 1-5 Wexford hitman Mattie Forde returned from injury to mastermind a shock win for Wexford over a fitful Meath side at Wexford Park. Forde's marksmanship was in stark contrast to Meath's profligacy in the business end of the field. The ace Wexford attacker fired over two early frees to get his side up and running and Meath on the defensive in a frenetic opening six minutes. Despite a fine point by exciting Meath newcomer Joe Sheridan and an inspirational effort by Damien Byrne, Wexford still clung onto a 0-3 to 0-2 lead midway thorugh the first half. The home side worked like beavers to keep their noses in front with some choice enterprising approach play and a fine cutting edge up front embellishing their cause. In a rather fractious first half, five players were yellow carded but it ended as it started with a brillant score, this time by Leo O'Brien to tie the scores at 0-4 apiece going into the break. Forde once again showed his worth to the homesters with a brace of points, including one from a free, on the restart to leave Meath again trailing by two points. Entering the last 20 minutes, the stakes were raised considerably when Meath's Shane McCabe received his marching orders. Two great points subsequently by John Hudson added to the tension and then when Joe Sheridan crashed home a great goal for Meath in the last five minutes, a huge question mark surrounded the outcome of the tie. However Wexford refused to surrender their 0-9 to 1-4 lead and despite the dismissal of Niall Murphy, the Model County held off the best efforts of the Anthony Moyle and Darren Fay-inspired Meathmen to finish deserving winners. Division 2A Leitrim left in the lurch Leitrim 1-5 Donegal 2-10 A goal apiece by Adrian Sweeney and Brendan Devenney proved to be the killer blows as Donegal easily swept aside the challenge of host side Leitrim at Cloone. All too easy for Ros Roscommon 0-17 Carlow 1-9Roscommon put a dent in Carlow's apparent good early season form by comfortably securing a valuable brace of points in a largely one-sided affair at Dr. Hyde Park. Offaly revival succeeds Offaly 1-13 London 1-8 Offaly had to come from behind before accounting for a gutsy London side in an entertaining tie in Tullamore. Freeman brothers shine Monaghan 4-9 Clare 1-12 A hat-trick of goals shared by the Freeman brothers, Tom and Damien, were the highlight of a sparkling win by Monaghan at the expense of Clare at sparsely attended Clones. Division 2B Browne makes Decies blue Tipperary 1-17 Waterford 1-8 Former All-Star Declan Browne helped himself to 12 points as Tipperary out-classed a poor Waterford side at cold Clonmel. All-square at Aughrim Wicklow 1-5 Down 0-8 Stalemate was the order of the day at Aughrim as both sides' frailties in front of goal were shown up to good effect. Derry demolish Louth Derry 0-21 Louth 1-7 Derry turned on the style up front to hand a limited Louth side an 11 point hammering at a bleak Celtic Park. Kildare on maximum points Antrim 1-5 Kildare 1-10 Promotion already beckons for Kildare after the Lilywhites made it two wins from two matches with a comfortable win over Antrim at Casement Park. Tweet

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