National Football League Roundup

Donegal 1-8 Kerry 1 -7

Bad weather all week, particularly on match day removed from this appetizing fixture between the league champions, Donegal and the All-Ireland champions Kerry of any vestige of glamour. Nevertheless the official opening of the floodlights at Ballybofey, the close exchanges and the dramatic finish to the game will have sent the large crowd away in good spirits.

Kerry were short only four of their All-Ireland final team. New team captain Paul Galvin was badly missed as his "no frills" style of play were tailor-made for the conditions.

Both sets of forwards found scoring very difficult in the wind-swept conditions. The main talking points in the opening half were the dismissal of Kerry full-back Tom O'Sullivan for a second bookable offence, and the missed penalty of Donegal's Colin McFadden.

All things considered that the half-time score stood at 0-3 a piece just about reflected the trend of the game.

Kerry were marginally the better team in the second half and with five minutes remaining led by 2 points. Donegal drew level and a draw then seemed a likely result. Kerry finished strongly, and as the game went into the final minute of injury time, had gone into a 2 point lead.

In a final Donegal attack Colin McFadden coffed a high ball into the Kerry square. Eoin Brosnan, while attempting to punch the ball clear, managed only to deflect it into his own net to give Donegal an unlikely pair of league points.

Donegal will welcome the win as it sets them up for a successful defence of their title. While Kerry will be disappointed to have lost a game that they appeared to have won, they will be relatively satisfied with their efforts given that they have only re-commenced training and are just back from their winter holiday

Tyrone 0-7 Kildare 1-4

Tyrone looked to have scored the league points as they led Kildare by 3 points with time almost up. But a dramatic late goal from Padraic Mularkey rescued a point for the visitors.

In final analysis a draw was a fair result of a marvellous game. Both teams entered into the spirit of the game with some whole-hearted but disciplined play. Tyrone, who lined out without Brian McGuigan, who had been expected to play, looked out of shape in attack when the permanently retired Stephen O'Neill was badly missed.

Both managers Mickey Harte for Tyrone and Kieran McGeeney for Kildare will be satisfied with ther respective teams results.

Derry 2-9 Mayo 1 -9

Leading by 1-8 to 0-2 at half-time Derry looked to have secured the league points without over exerting themselves.

During the second half Mayo inspired considerably and gradually began to eat in Derry's lead. Then in the 54th minute Derry scored their second goal and looked to have closed out the game.

However, Mayo kept up the challenge and with the game entering its closing stages had reduced the margin to three points. At the very end it took a good save from Derry keeper John Deighan to keep Derry in front and ensure the league points for the local side.

Derry played extremely well in patches but will be concerned that on two occasions in the second half they allowed Mayo back into the game and gave them a realistic chance to actually win it.

Mayo will be reasonably pleased that their new look team nearly pulled it off towards the end. However, if they are to progress as a team they will have to realise that they must perform for the full 70 minutes.

Galway 0-5 Laois 1-9

Given the dreadful playing conditions it was inevitable that lots of frees would be conceded and the place-finding would be crucial in deciding the ultimate winners and losers. Plus it turned out with Michael Meehan from Galway and Laois' Michael Tierney being their team's top scorers with seven points and six points respectively from placed ball.

What turned the game in Galway's favour was that Meehan had his colleagues, while Tierney had to plough a lone furrow in the attack, with occasional assistance from Parkinson and Brennan. Scores were level (1-4 to 0-7) at the break and were still level with ten minutes remaining (1-9 to 0-12).

However, Galway finished the stronger with excellent points from play by Meehan, and Bane to take two deserved points.