10 YEARS AGO
FERMANAGH finished strongly against Antrim to record a 1-12 to 0-9 in their Ulster opener. Pete McGrath’s side led 0-9 to 0-2 at the break, though Antrim came back into it before Paul McCusker inspired Fermanagh’s surge over the line with a series of important plays.
The game was put to bed when Sean Quigley gathered the ball and skimmed his shot along the ground to the net despite the best efforts of Antrim goalkeeper Chris Kerr.
Meanwhile, Niall McNamee starred for Offaly as they ended nine barren years without a Leinster Championship win with a 2-21 to 2-13 victory over Longford.
Louth saw off a stubborn Carlow side on a scoreline of 2-24 to 3-11. while Laois set up a date with the Dubs with a solid win over Wicklow.
The Dublin minor hurlers had a good day out against Kilkenny in the Leinster Hurling Championship semi-final, holding out in extra time to win by 2-18 to 1-19.
20 YEARS AGO
DEFENDING Ulster champions Armagh and Monaghan played out a low-scoring draw in the first half. Armagh were out of sorts but horrendously wet conditions didn’t help matters. The game’s outstanding performer was Monaghan’s Stephen Gollogly who helped drag his team back into the game with two vital scores.
Kildare’s hopes of Leinster Championship success were dealt a huge blow when they were hit by a double whammy of injuries in a challenge game against Galway. Glenn Ryan was carried off early on with an injury which later transpired to be a cracked sternum while Damien Hendy suffered a broken bone just above his wrist in the same game.
The Antrim hurlers strolled to a 17-points victory over Down in the Ulster Championship semi-final at a rainy Casement Park. Johnny McIntosh, Brian McFall and Joey Scullion were in particularly potent form up front for the Saffrons.
Elsewhere, Tipperary defied the odds in the Munster Championship against Limerick and the Offaly footballers plundered a 0-15 to 0-11 win over Westmeath
30 YEARS AGO
KERRY ran out 2-15 to 1-7 victors in the Munster Championship against Tipperary, but the scoreline was hugely flattering to the unbackable favourites.
It took a 62nd minute goal from Dara Ó Cinnéide to finally bury a gallant challenge by Tipperary at Clonmel on a day where Ó Cinnéide and Maurice Fitzgerald were given little opportunity to shine. The introduction of Johnny Crowley livened up the Kerry attack and he contributed 1-2 in his 17 minutes on the pitch.
Elsewhere, GAA administrators voted to start and finish the National Hurling League in the same calendar year. Derry were given a stiff pre-championship test in a challenge match against Leitrim. Both teams fielded strong selections and an Eamonn Burns goal midway through the first half proved decisive on the day.
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