10 YEARS AGO

“ANYBODY who is going to Gaelic football to see goals only, maybe they should go to another game.”

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte was in defensive mode after being pressed following a bore-fest 0-12 to 1-9 draw with Dublin at Croke Park.

The watching media posed questions on the state of the game afterwards and Harte, as is his right, defended how his side set up, but it was a tough watch for the 27, 469 at Croke Park.

Having hit out at the referee in the draw with Tyrone the previous week, Derry boss Brian McIver was on the attack again following their 2-12 to 1-13 loss to Mayo.

Down official Ciaran Branagan was in the firing line this time with McIver saying he was “disgusted.”

“Not taking anything away from Mayo but they got a jammy goal and every decision going.”

Monaghan are often cited as Donegal’s bogey team and that proved the case again as the Oriel County edged a low-scoring encounter in Letterkenny.

The hosts were unable to score a point from play in the 0-9 to 1-4 loss with late points from Fintan Kelly and Rory Beggan sealing two points for the visitors.

Donegal’s only score from play was a flicked Michael Murphy goal 45 minutes in, indeed that was their only score in the second half, with Paul Finlay’s four frees helping Monaghan to victory.

Paul Devlin landed a 47-metre free with the last kick of the game to give Down an impressive 1-17 to 1-16 win over Galway in Newry in Division Two.

Donal O’Hare scored the home side’s goal as they kicked six of the last seven points to take the win.

Fermanagh also finished strongly, coming from five points down to earn a draw in Armagh.

Ethan Rafferty, then a full-forward, was the best player on the field as the hosts looked set for the victory, but late scores from Sean Quigley and Ryan Jones denied them.

20 YEARS AGO

THE AIB Provincial Player of the Year awards were presented with Ulster’s football gong going to Crossmaglen attacker Johnny Murtagh. On the hurling front, Rossa star Jim Connolly was honoured after their provincial triumph a few months earlier with the winners announced the month before.

Armagh’s league win over Laois came at a price as a number of players picked up injuries with Malachy Mackin stretchered off.

Stevie McDonnell’s late goal was the key score in a 3-10 to 0-17 win in Portlaoise but Mackin and goalkeeper Ciaran McKinney both needed hospital treatment afterwards.

Oisín McConville replaced Gregory Loughran after just 13 minutes and he made a huge impact with a brace of goals to help secure the win.

Down’s unbeaten run in Division 1B came to a shuddering halt as Kildare hammered them 1-17 to 0-9 in Newry.

The Lilywhites came into the match without a point, but it didn’t show as they tore their opponents apart with a couple of brilliant Brendan McVeigh saves preventing the scoreline taking a humiliating look.

Stevie O’Neill produced a typically superb scoring display as Tyrone moved to the top of the Division 1A table with a 0-18 to 0-10 win over Offaly.

30 YEARS AGO

“HANDBAGS at 10 paces in Newry,” read the opening paragraph in the Irish Independent’s report of Down’s clash with Dublin.

Greg Blaney swung a boot at Mick Deegan, it was alleged, and a melee broke out with the slippery conditions ensuring that there was a bit of comedy in there too.

Down’s frustration was perhaps understandable with the full-time whistle going seconds after the row and their relegation from the top flight confirmed.

They could have little complaint after an embarrassing return of 0-1, their only score of the game coming after 45 seconds when Ross Carr’s penalty went over rather than under the bar.

Armagh denied Cork promotion with a gritty draw at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

In testing weather conditions, Ger Houlahan and Cathal O’Rourke both scored two points from play to secure a 0-10 to 0-10 draw.

Laois earned a first-ever competitive win over Kerry as they left Killarney with a 1-9 to 0-8 league win.