O’BYRNE CUP ROUND-UP ROBBIE’S THE MAIN MAN FOR LONGFORD
IN-FORM Robbie Smyth fired Longford to victory in the O’byrne Cup for the second weekend running.
The attacker drilled eight points in Longford’s 0-9 to 1-5 win over Meath - a week after hitting the winner against Wicklow.
Smyth’s first point in Ashbourne came from an Advanced Mark under the new experimental playing rules.
He added four more points from placed balls and three from play while Colm P Smyth grabbed Longford’s other point.
The result leaves Longford sitting pretty with back to back wins and eyeing a semi-final spot.
Padraic Davis’ side hit the first five points though only led 0-6 to 1-2 at halftime after 1-1 from Meath’s Ben Brennan.
Sean Tobin and Graham Reilly added Meath points after the restart and the Royals briefly led 1-4 to 0-6.
But three more Smyth points between the 45th and 53rd minutes sealed it for Longford in atrocious conditions.
Meath, who lost to Longford in last summer’s Championship, were in experimental mode and will field an entirely new team against Dublin in today’s Sean Cox fundraiser.
The O’byrne Cup games involving Wicklow/louth, Westmeath/offaly and Wexford/laois were postponed due to Storm Deirdre.
Meanwhile, Conall Jones netted for Fermanagh who drew 1-9 to 0-12 with Ulster University in the Mckenna Cup.
The Belfast students kicked the last five points of the game to secure the stalemate at the Derrygonnelly club grounds.
Lee Brennan booted the late leveller though Tyrone colleague Michael Mckernan was dismissed following a second yellow late on.