End of the NFL (group stage) - from GAA.ie

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Allianz NFL Division One semi-finalists decided
Sunday, April 3
The final weekend of action in the group stages of the Allianz NFL, and at last the four semi-finalists are known. But there were some tense moments, with the battle between Kerry and Mayo for the second semi-final spot in Division 1A proving to be a real test of nerves.
Meanwhile, Wexford made their own piece of history by defeating Laois to join table-toppers Armagh in the semi-finals - the first time the Model men have reached the play-offs since 1950.

Allianz NFL Division 1A:
Kerry 2-17 Tyrone 3-8
Defending Allianz NFL champions Kerry saw their quest for a successive league and championship double ended by the cruellest twists at Killarney on Sunday, when they were just edged out of a place in the divisional semi-finals despite beating Tyrone. The Kingdom are only the second team this year to beat the O'Neills, but the margin of six points at full time showed their superior form. Ironically, it was the other team to beat Tyrone and the team Kerry beat last weekend - Mayo - who jumps above them into second spot with a superior score-difference.
It was a point from substitute Mark Harte, scored from a 25-yard free, that proved to be the killing blow, with Mayo beating Westmeath by a 14-point margin in Castlebar. However, manager Jack O'Connor will not be unhappy with his side's performance. Declan Quill, Dara O'Cinneide, Colm Cooper and Liam Hassett all put in excellent scoring performances. By the 19th minute, Kerry led 1-5 to 0-2, with the goal coming from O'Cinneide, and while Tyrone did produce a rally to cut the margin to three by half time, there was obvious intent in the Kerry form.
A goal from Eoin McGinley and late points from Owen Mulligan and Martin Penrose, helped it to 1-7 to 1-4, and on the restart, the contest achieved a new life. Ryan Mellon drilled home a goal to cut the gap to one, 1-9 to 2-5, before Colm Cooper found the net himself to extend the lead to five, 2-10 to 2-5.
It looked as though Kerry were on their way to the semi-finals, as Cooper and then O'Cinneide (2) shot the points to extend the advantage to seven, 2-14 to 2-7, but a penalty from Mellon saw the gap slashed to four points again, 2-14 to 3-7 as full time approached. Ronan O'Connor and O'Cinneide almost saw Kerry through, 2-17 to 3-7, but then came Harte's free to break the hearts of the Kerry supporters.

Mayo 3-16 Westmeath 1-8
An Andy Moran point, scored 90 seconds into injury time, proved to be enough to see Mayo into the second semi-final spot in Division 1A, and force out defending champions Kerry. Although it never looked like Westmeath would come away with a victory, with Mayo dominating almost every area of the field, possession and the scoreboard, it was a late score by Dessie Dolan that threatened to cut the Westerners' score difference short of that needed to leap-frog the Kingdom into second spot in the table. But Moran saved the day with practically the last kick of the day.
Mayo had always looked comfortable, with the need for a significant margin the only real pressure on them. It all started well too, although until the second quarter, there was still a close contest. A goal from Conor Mortimer for the hosts, and a similar strike by Westmeath's David Glennon, saw three sides between the sides, 1-6 to 1-3, but when Moran scored a second goal before the 20th minute, it provided Mayo the boost they needed.

Donegal 3-11 Cork 1-7
Despite reeling from the blow that they are to face Division Two football next year, Donegal produced an impressive victory at home to Cork on Sunday to end their Allianz NFL Division 1A campaign on a high note. It hadn't looked like the outcome would be so pleasing for McEniff and co at half time, when it was the Rebels who boasted the lead, 1-4 to 0-4. But a resounding second-half display saw the home side dominate the rest of the game and come away with their 10-point win.
Adrian Sweeney scored 1-1 in an early second-half scoring spree, which also included scores from Christy Toye, Brendan Devenney and Brian Roper, to help overturn the leaders and put Donegal 1-10 to 1-5 in front. It was clear at that point that the visitors had lost their grip on the match, and while Sean Levis had managed Cork's first point of the second half, his colleagues could add only two more before the full-time whistle.

Dublin 1-13 Offaly 2-6
After the blow to their pride against Cork last weekend, Dublin made no mistake in their match against Offaly at Tullamore on Sunday and picked up the first away win of their campaign with four points to spare. While the win meant little in terms of their NFL Division 1A campaign, it sees Paul Caffrey's side end with a fourth victory that places them fourth in the final table. However, what will be of more importance to the manager is the manner of his side's win.
The Dubs led from the off, with Tomas Quinn drilling home an early goal to see them into a 1-4 to no score lead with just 11 minutes gone - Darren Homan, Quinn, Alan Brogan and Jason Sherlock getting the points. Offaly's first score came in the 14th minute when Alan McNamee was on target, but it was clear that the home side was struggling to get to grips with their opponents. However, a goal from Niall McNamee near the end of the half, reduced the gap to five points at half time, 1-7 to 1-2, and offered a promise of a closer contest in the second half.
When Neville Coughlan grabbed a second goal not long after the restart, it suggested a comeback was on the cards. That score left just one point between the sides, but Dublin answered in the best way possible. Brogan kicked a point, and Senan Connell two, to restore the four-point advantage. Ciaran McManus could have turned the game on its head three minutes from time, when he took a penalty. But his shot was touched over the bar by Stephen Cluxton.

Allianz NFL Division 1B:
Wexford 2-12 Laois 0-15
Understandably, the scene at Wexford Park on Sunday seemed that for a side that had just won the NFL title, but the Wexford's win over Laois had instead only seen them into the semi-finals. But the supporters, players and management can be forgiven for the show of unbridled emotion. A year earlier, they had seen their place in the semi-finals lost by a defeat to same opposition. This time they have reached their first league semi-finals since 1950, and can go into their meeting with Tyrone in confident form.
But it could have been a different story had a late Laois free not dropped short and into the arms of Matty Forde, defending on the goal line. At that stage, Wexford were ahead by only a point, 2-10 to 0-15, and had the scores been levelled, then Laois would have had time to steal a victory. However, instead, Wexford pushed up the field and in the few minutes remaining kicked two more points to seal the win.


Kildare 2-14 Sligo 1-7
Kildare ended their Allianz NFL came with a commanding performance and impressive win against the team that for the early rounds many felt they might have accompanied back to Division Two next year. But the Lilywhites enjoyed a dramatic improvement in on-field fortunes and end their campaign with a fourth league win, while Sligo go down after a frustrating time of it in the top flight.
In truth, Kildare were simply too strong for the Yeats men. A goal from Tadhg Fennin set them up with a 1-4 to 0-1 lead by the end of the opening quarter, while points from John Doyle and Mick Wright (amongst others) saw them 1-8 to 0-1 to the good with half time closing in.

Down 2-11 Galway 0-14
Galway's hopes of securing a semi-final spot might have rested primarily on a Wexford defeat against Laois, but their failure to even secure a victory over Down at Ballinasloe on Sunday ensured that that factor would have no bearing on their fortunes. Despite a good start, with Padraic Joyce, Derek Savage and Matthew Clancy all getting on the scoreboard to help the Tribesmen into a 0-8 to 0-4 lead, it was the home side that fell to a three-point defeat.
Galway's early four-point lead saw cut in two by the half-time whistle, but the sudden comeback was to be eclipsed and surpassed in the second half, with Benny Coulter the primary hero. It was his two goals in the second half, which came in quick, succession that eventually saw the Mourne men into a convincing lead that they would not let go of again.

Armagh 0-10 Limerick 0-9


DIVISION ONE RESULTS:
Division 1A:
Offaly 2-6 Dublin 1-13
Donegal 3-11 Cork 1-7
Kerry 2-17 Tyrone 3-8
Mayo 3-16 Westmeath 1-8

Division 1B:
Kildare 1-14 Sligo 1-7
Wexford 2-12 Laois 0-15
Galway 0-14 Down 2-11
Armagh 0-10 Limerick 0-9

Allianz NFL Final Tables:
Division 1A P W D L For AG Diff Pts
Tyrone 7 5 0 2 8-94 5-83 20 10
Mayo 7 5 0 2 8-98 8-81 17 10
Kerry 7 5 0 2 10-87 7-79 17 10
Dublin 7 4 0 3 7-74 6-84 -7 8
Cork 7 2 2 3 6-77 7-73 1 6
Offaly 7 2 1 4 8-78 7-93 -12 5
Donegal 7 2 0 5 6-79 8-71 2 4
Westmeath 7 1 1 5 6-67 11-90 -38 3

Division 1B P W D L For AG Diff Pts
Armagh 7 6 0 1 8-73 4-68 17 12
Wexford 7 5 0 2 12-88 7-82 21 10
Kildare 7 4 0 3 6-88 6-65 23 8
Down 7 4 0 3 7-73 3-84 1 8
Galway 7 3 0 4 8-81 5-71 19 6
Laois 7 3 0 4 2-94 9-76 -3 6
Limerick 7 2 0 5 5-64 5-83 -19 4
Sligo 7 1 0 6 3-70 12-102 -59 2

cHilliSheep

Deffo the best ending to anything in a while, listening to it on RTÉ 1 was cool they were having fits in there.