Offaly up next for senior footballers

Dublin face Offaly, fresh from their impressive victory over Laois, in this Wednesday night’s Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup action.

Reigning champions Kildare got off to a winning start, as the Bord na Móna Leinster GAA Series got underway for 2015 last weekend.

Darroch Mulhall was one of the leading lights, scoring eight points for the hosts in their Group B encounter against Louth, with wins also for Dublin, Offaly, UCD, Meath, DCU, DIT and Wicklow in the opening round.

In Group A, an early Eoghan O'Gara goal laid the platform for Dublin to register a 1-12 to 1-5 win over competition debutants Maynooth University at Parnell Park.

Despite Dublin's seven point win, Offaly lead Group A on scoring difference after their first round win over Laois by 2-12 to 0-08 at O'Connor Park, Tullamore.

In what was Pat Flanagan's first game in charge of Offaly, the Faithful County overcame the O'Moore's for the second time in three years in the competition to break a 12-month losing streak overall.

A goal from debutant Nigel Bracken helped Offaly to a 1-04 to 0-06 interval lead, with the visitors second half scores coming from Gareth Dillon and Nigel Murphy late on, with Bernard Allen (1-03) netting Offaly's second goal.

The table-toppers face-off in a Round 2 clash this Wednesday under the Parnell Park floodlights in Donnycarney at 7.30pm.

Kildare carved out an impressive 1-16 to 0-7 win over Louth in Group B at St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge.

The three-in-a-row title chasers overcame a tight start to register a 12-point win over Colin Kelly's men, with Darroch Mulhall scoring eight points.

Louth held an early 0-02 to 0-01 lead, but following a Declan Byrne black card the hosts got on top on the score-board and stayed in front.

Tomas O'Connor netted the only goal late in the opening half, as Kildare took a 1-9 to 0-3 interval lead.

Kildare failed to ease up on the restart, with nine different scorers overall, as Peter Kelly, Pádraig O’Neill, Hugh Lynch, Eamon Callaghan, Eoghan O’Flaherty, Fionn Dowling and Eamon Murphy (0-01 each) also got their names on the scoresheet, with Ryan Burns, Ronan Holdcroft (0-03 each) and Declan Byrne providing Louth's scorers.

Westmeath's John Heslin scored eight points for UCD in their 0-18 to 1-12 win over Carlow at Dr Cullen Park.

UCD led by 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time, but a 58th minute Hughie Gahan goal levelled the tie.

UCD finished strongly and replied with five unanswered points, on the way to a three-point away win.

Kildare face Carlow in Athy on Wednesday night in Athy, while Louth host UCD in Haggardstown.

In Group C, DCU got the competition off to a winning start on Saturday, with a 3-13 to 0-11 win over Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Roscommon’s Enda Smith; Wicklow’s Conor McGraynor and Laois’s Evan Keane registered goals for DCU on the way to an 11-point win.

Smith's 10th minute goal helped DCU take a 1-06 to 0-07 interval lead, and although DCU led throughout, Longford didn't make it easy for them.

Francis McGee top-scored for the hosts with 0-06 - all from play, with Paul McKeon, Sean McCormack and Diarmuid Masterson also on target for the hosts.

Three minutes of brilliance helped Meath to a 1-13 to 0-10 win over neighbours Westmeath at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Westmeath held a slender 0-5 to 0-4 half-time lead, but were hit hard at the start of the final quarter.

1-2 in less than three minutes from the Royals, including a goal from substitute David Bray put the visitors six points ahead in the 55th minute, the margin that separated the sides at the full-time whistle.

On Wednesday, Meath host Longford in Navan, while Westmeath entertain DCU in Kinnegad.

In Group D, Wicklow and DIT recorded hard earned wins on Sunday.

Wicklow joined Dublin as the only counties to beat college opposition in the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup at the weekend, when they recorded a 2-14 to 2-09 win over IT Carlow at Blessington.

Wicklow led by 1-8 to 1-6 at half-time, and stayed on top on the restart with Barry McHugh registering 2-4 overall for the students, with Danny Woods and Tommy Kelly the last Wicklowmen to get touches for the hosts goals.

DIT’s date with Wexford at Gorey provided the most tense finish of the day, with 10 minutes of injury-time played before a late goal from Dublin’s Paul Brogan earned the students a 1-12 to 0-14 win.

DIT led by 0-10 to 0-07 after 46 minutes, but Wexford came storming back, with Ben Brosnan (0-04) leading the charge, to take a 0-13 to 0-12 lead, after a Kevin O'Grady point in the 75th minute.

O'Grady extended the hosts lead to two points, but Brogan delivered at the death to ensure the students snatched victory.

Wicklow host DIT in a top of the table clash at Bray on Wednesday night, while Wexford host IT Carlow in Enniscorthy.

The Bord na Mona O'Byrne Cup will continue next weekend with Meath hosting DCU in the first of the final round of group games on Saturday, with all other fixtures on Sunday afternoon.

In Group A, Laois host Dublin in Portarlington, while Offaly face Maynooth University in Tullamore.

Group B sees Kildare face UCD, in Newbridge with Carlow hosting Louth. In Group C Longford face Westmeath in Ballymahon while in Gorey Wexford take on Wicklow in Group D and IT Carlow host DIT.

The 2015 Bord na Móna Walsh Cup gets underway on Sunday with a new look Group format.

In Group 1, Carlow host NUI Galway in Dr. Cullen Park at 12.30. Group 2 sees Antrim against DIT in St Pauls GAC, Belfast. In Group 3, Laois host UCD in Abbeyleix while Westmeath host Midland rivals Offaly in Cusack Park, Mullingar.

BORD NA MÓNA LEINSTER GAA SERIES BRIEFS

Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup 2015

Top Scorers

Barry McHugh (IT Carlow) 2-04 (3f, 1 45)

Darroch Mulhall (KIldare) 0-08 (4f)

John Heslin (UCD) 0-08 (6f)

Eoghan O'Gara (Dublin) 1-03

Bernard Allen (Offaly) 1-03 (2f)

Graham Reilly (Meath) 0-06

Francis McGee (Longford) 0-06

Conor Madden (DIT) 0-06 (4f)

Barry Dardis (Maynooth University) 1-02

Dean Rock (Dublin) 0-05 (2f)

Paul Broderick (Carlow) 0-05 (4f)

* Highest Winning Margin: 12 points (Kildare 1-16 Louth 0-07 - Group B Round 1)

* Lowest Winning Margin: 1 point (DIT 1-12 Wexford 0-14 - Group D Round 1)

* Highest Aggregate Score: 35 points (Wicklow 2-14 IT Carlow 2-09 - Group D Round 1)

* Lowest Aggregate Score: 23 points (Dublin 1-12 Maynooth University 1-05 - Group A Round 1)

COMING NEXT:

Next Wednesday: (All games at 7.30pm unless stated) Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup Second Round: Group A: Dublin v Offaly, Parnell Park; Laois v Maynooth University, Portarlington. Group B: Louth v UCD, Haggardstown 8.00; Kildare v Carlow, Athy. Group C: Meath v Longford, Navan; Westmeath v DCU, Kinnegad. Group D: Wexford v IT Carlow, St. Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy; Wicklow v DIT, Bray.

Next Saturday: Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup Third Round: Group C: Meath v DCU, Navan, 7.00

Next Sunday: (All games at 2pm unless stated) Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup Third Round: Group A: Laois v Dublin, Portarlington; Offaly v Maynooth University, Tullamore. Group B: Kildare v UCD, Newbridge; Carlow v Louth, Carlow, 2.15. Group C: Longford v Westmeath, Ballymahon. Group D: Wexford v Wicklow, Pairc Ui Siochain, Gorey, IT Carlow v DIT, IT Carlow. Bord na Móna Walsh Cup First Round: Group 1: Carlow v NUI Galway, Carlow, 12.30. Group 2: Antrim v DIT, St Pauls GAC, Belfast. Group 3: Laois v UCD, Abbeyleix. Group 4: Westmeath v Offaly, Mullingar.

BORD NA MÓNA LEINSTER GAA SERIES 2014

(Dates subject to change)

FOOTBALL

Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup

January 3: First Round: Group C: DCU 3-13 Longford 0-11.

January 4: First Round: Group A: Dublin 1-12 Maynooth University 1-05; Offaly 2-12 Laois 0-08. Group B: Kildare 1-16 Louth 0-07, UCD 0-18 Carlow 1-12. Group C: Meath 1-13 Westmeath 0-10; DCU 3-13 Longford 0-11. Group D: DIT 1-12 Wexford 0-14; Wicklow 2-14 IT Carlow 2-09.

January 7: Second Round: Group A: Dublin v Offaly, Parnell Park, 7.30; Laois v Maynooth University, Portarlington, 7.30. Group B: Louth v UCD, Haggardstown 8.00; Kildare v Carlow, Athy, 7.30. Group C: Meath v Longford, Navan, 7.30; Westmeath v DCU, Kinnegad, 7.30. Group D: Wexford v IT Carlow, St. Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy, 7.30; Wicklow v DIT, Bray, 7.30.

January 10: Third Round: Group C: Meath v DCU, Navan, 7.00

January 11: Third Round: Group A: Laois v Dublin, Portarlington, 2.00; Offaly v Maynooth University, Tullamore, 2.00. Group B: Kildare v UCD, Newbridge, 2.00; Carlow v Louth, Carlow, 2.15. Group C: Longford v Westmeath, Ballymahon, 2.00. Group D: Wexford v Wicklow, Pairc Ui Siochain, Gorey, 2.00; IT Carlow v DIT, IT Carlow, 2.00.

January 18: Semi-Finals

1. (Group C Winner v Group A Winner)

2. (Group D Winner v Group B Winner)

January 25: Final

(Winner 2 v Winner 1)

HURLING

Bord na Móna Walsh Cup

January 11: First Round: Group 1: Carlow v NUI Galway, Carlow, 12.30. Group 2: Antrim v DIT, St Pauls GAC, Belfast, 2.00. Group 3: Laois v UCD, Abbeyleix, 2.00. Group 4: Westmeath v Offaly, Mullingar, 2.00.

January 18: Second Round: Group 1: Kilkenny v NUI Galway, Kilkenny, 2.00. Group 2: Dublin v DIT, Parnell Park, 2.00. Group 3: Wexford v UCD, Gorey, 2.00. Group 4: Westmeath v Galway, Mullingar, 2.00

January 25: Third Round: Group 1: Carlow v Kilkenny, Carlow, 2.00. Group 2: Dublin v Antrim, Parnell Park, 2.00. Group 3: Laois v Wexford, Laois Venue TBC 2.00. Group 4: Offaly v Galway, Tullamore, 2.00.

February 1: Semi-Finals

A. (Winner Group 1 v Winner Group 4)

B. (Winner Group 3 v Winner Group 2)

February 7: Final

A v B

Bord na Móna Kehoe Cup

January 18: First Round: Group 1: Longford v Louth, Longford, 2.00; Meath v St Pats/Mater Dei, Trim, 2.00. Group 2: Wicklow v Fingal, Ballinakill Centre of Excellence, 2.00; Kildare v Maynooth University, Newbridge, 2.00.

January 25: Second Round: Group 1: Longford v St Pats/Mater Dei, Longford. 2.00; Louth v Meath, Louth Venue TBC, 2.00. Group 2: Fingal v Maynooth University, Dublin Venue TBC, 2.00; Kildare v Wicklow, Newbridge, 2.00.

February 1: Third Round: Group 1: Meath v Longford, Trim, 2.00; Louth v St. Pats/Mater Dei, Louth Venue, 2.00. Group 2: Wicklow v Maynooth University, Ballinakill Centre of Excellence, 2.00; Fingal v Kildare, Dublin Venue TBC, 2.00.

February 8: Final

(Winner Group 1 v Winner Group 2)