10 YEARS GO

COLM Cooper made his Kerry comeback after 13 months out as Kerry relegated Tyrone from Division One.

In a thrilling draw in Omagh, the Kingdom did enough to secure their Division One status and only for Darren McCurry’s late leveller, they would have ended up in a semi-final too.

The highlight though for visiting fans was Cooper’s appearance from the bench after 63 minutes as he replaced Bryan Sheehan.

Goals win games and Down added another three to their tally as they defeated Laois to secure a return to Division One.

The Mourne County had scored eight previous to the game in Newry, and Kilcoo duo Conor Laverty and Paul Devlin added to that tally in the first half before Arthur McConville added another after the break as Jim McCorry’s side won 3-12 to 1-15.

With promotion already secured for Armagh, Kieran McGeeney sent out a much weakened against Sligo and they were dispatched with ease.

Tyrone were crowned NHL Division 3A champions following a 0-18 to 1-11 win over Ulster rivals Monaghan in Keady.

The late Damian Casey, as he so often did, led the scoring charge with nine points with Gerard Gilmore, Conor Grogan and Mark Winters all contributing a brace each.

The Paddy Buggy Cup was heading to Ballycastle after Cross & Passion’s 1-16 to 1-12 win over Mountrath.

The Antrim school were defeated in the previous year’s final but a quickfire 1-2 from Shane McGrath in the second half ensured that they would make amends.

20 YEARS AGO

A SEEMINGLY inconsequential Mark Harte free in additional time for Tyrone against Kerry ended up having big ramifications on the Division One finishing picture.

That score didn’t alter the result – Kerry winning 2-17 to 3-8 – but it meant that Jack O’Connor’s side missed out on a semi-final, and the chance to defend their title.

That was because Mayo’s thumping win over Westmeath drew them level with the Kingdom and Tyrone on 10 points at the top. Mickey Harte’s side (+20) advanced on scoring difference but with Kerry and Mayo both on +17, it went to points scored and the Connacht side came out on top to secure a semi-final date with Armagh.

Tyrone booked a last-four date with Wexford, who reached the Division One semi-finals for the first time in 55 years.

Seanie Johnston kicked two late frees as Cavan stunned Armagh in the Ulster U-21 Championship semi-final.

Armagh dominated for long periods, Peadar Toal and Ryan Henderson scoring six of their seven points, but they couldn’t put their opponents away with Johnston scoring an early second-half goal in the 1-6 to 0-7 victory.

That secured a first final spot since 1996 where they’d meet a Down side who eased past Fermanagh in the other semi-final, Niall McArdle with the only goal of the game.

The Ireland u-17 International Rules side earned a 39-31 victory over Australia in Killarney with Paul Kernan, son of Joe, clinching the game with a late goal.

Cavan’s Cian Mackey was in superb scoring form as Ireland finished strongly to come out on top.

30 YEARS AGO

DUNLOY’S All-Ireland hopes went up in smoke as Birr eased past them in their Croke Park final replay.

The move of Birr’s Paul Murphy from half-forward to full-forward caused havoc as the victors plundered two goals inside the opening eight minutes to send them on their way to the title.

The Offaly side had 2-7 on the board before Dunloy scored and although Jarlath Elliott and Allie Elliott goaled in the second half for the Ulster champions, they still lost out by 13 points.

St Patrick’s, Maghera booked a Hogan Cup final spot following their 1-10 to 0-9 win over St Patrick’s, Tuam.

Played in windy conditions in Ballyshannon, the Derry school took advantage of the elements to lead 1-7 to 0-1 at the break, their goal coming after three minutes through Gary Cushnahan. The Galway school, as expected, came back strongly after the break but with corner-backs John Heaney and Micheál Kelly outstanding, Maghera held on to set up a final date with Good Counsel.