Shocks, Drama And Records Broken - The Gaa Weekend

ByDavid Mohan

BBC Sport NI journalist

It's been different play of shocks, play and eye-catching performances crossed nan provinces successful Gaelic shot and hurling.

Favourites stunned, rivalries renewed and records surgery are immoderate of nan takeaways arsenic nan title for provincial honours stepped up different gear.

Just 3 weeks into nan title and it already looks group to beryllium 1 for nan ages, truthful let's return a look astatine immoderate of nan stories from Saturday and Sunday.

Prior to nan weekend, we noted nan shocks that had already taken spot successful Connacht and Leinster, pinch Leitrim beating Sligo and Westmeath stunning Meath.

Munster was having nary of it connected Saturday pinch Kerry and Cork sweeping past Clare and Tipperary respectively, truthful it was complete to Ulster.

With Armagh retired of show against Fermanagh astatine half-time successful Enniskillen, that doorway was besides closed contempt a spirited fightback from nan Ernesiders, truthful it was near to Down to tear up nan book successful Letterkenny.

They did conscionable that was a heroic performance, afloat of energy, thrust and courageousness to return it to nan back-to-back Ulster champions.

Although Down were underdogs, they person surely been connected an upward curve and person threatened to return down 1 of nan apical dogs for a fewer years - spot Armagh successful 2024, positive Donegal and Galway past year.

With Odhran Murdock, Daniel Guinness, goalscorer ultimate Miceal Rooney, Pat Havern and nan returning Caolan Mooney driving them on, they person blown Ulster wide unfastened and person kept their hopes of playing for Sam Maguire this twelvemonth connected track.

They person Armagh to travel adjacent week, a tantalising imaginable arsenic Conor Laverty's men look to person afloat rediscovered that Down swagger.

For Donegal, it's backmost to world pinch a bump aft their convention last triumph complete Kerry. They'll beryllium disappointed their three-in-a-row hopes for Ulster are over, but their eyes are connected a bigger prize this year.

On nan taxable of Fermanagh's 2nd half fightback, possibly nan standout capacity of nan play was delivered by Darragh McGurn.

With nan Ernesiders 16 adrift astatine nan break and staring down nan tube of a existent hiding, McGurn came into his ain and though nan spread was retired to 20 astatine 1 shape successful nan 2nd period, Fermanagh reduced that to 11 by nan end.

In specified a lopsided game, it is highly different for a personnel of nan defeated to prime up nan man of nan lucifer award, but McGurn's exploits were bordering connected nan outrageous, finishing pinch 1-12 to his sanction which included 5 two-pointers and a sublime goal.

The 27-year-old is yet to savour an Ulster Championship victory, but could not person done much for nan Fermanagh cause.

Declan Bonner's men will look astatine that first half erstwhile their shooting fto them down pinch immense regrets, but will return bosom for nan Tailteann Cup, knowing if they proceed to play pinch nan state they produced successful nan 2nd play against Armagh, they tin person realistic hopes of silverware later successful nan year.

Backing up past week's triumph complete Antrim successful nan Joe McDonagh Cup was captious for Down and they did conscionable that connected Saturday pinch their triumph complete London which should time off them successful a bully spot for nan remainder of nan competition.

Ronan Sheehan's men were favourites this time, truthful it was absorbing really they would header pinch being nan hunted alternatively than nan hunter.

London were dogged, but Down did what they had to do pinch Donal Hughes proving he's not conscionable astir last-gasp winning goals, picking disconnected 5 points this week.

They person a reliable tally to travel pinch games against Carlow, Laois and Westmeath, but pinch nan first and past of those astatine home, they ought to person assurance they tin push connected and declare a spot successful nan final.

It's a different script for Antrim whose chances of a spot successful nan last whitethorn not beryllium rather over, but surely hanging by a thread aft different conclusion this clip by Laois.

It's conscionable not happening this twelvemonth for Davy Fitzgerald's broadside arsenic they were again caught down nan stretch, truthful a week disconnected to reassess couldn't person travel astatine a amended time.

Favourites earlier nan commencement of nan competition, nan remit must now beryllium to guarantee things don't get worse and preserving nan McDonagh position has to beryllium nan superior aim.

We're astir apt retired of superlatives erstwhile it travel to nan Munster Hurling Championship, but it surpassed itself again connected Sunday pinch 2 games that delivered unthinkable play to nan last whistle.

While Limerick sewage nan amended of Cork for nan convention title connected Easter Sunday, it was nan Rebels' move to return service this time, edging a thriller astatine Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

It took 3 precocious points for them to do truthful against 14 men aft Cian Lynch was show red, and pinch Aaron Gillane missing owed to a calf injury, it's not perfect to beryllium without some for nan travel to look Clare successful Ennis adjacent week.

However, their fighting tone can't beryllium questioned and were correct successful it until nan last, but these teams present classics connected a regular ground and there's each chance we'll spot them meet again astatine slightest erstwhile earlier nan twelvemonth is out.

While Cork are sitting beautiful pinch 2 wins from two, it was a high-pressure time for Watrerford and All-Ireland champions Tipperary who some mislaid past week.

It looked for illustration Tipp were fresh to trim loose erstwhile 11 up astatine half-time, but nan Deise weren't done, getting level, ahead, past 3 down successful injury-time earlier Kevin Mahony buried an equaliser pinch nan past play.

Defeat for either would person spelt curtains, nan tie keeps them successful it. There's going to beryllium plentifulness of twists and turns earlier this title is over.

While nan Leinster Championship didn't scope nan aforesaid heights this week, location is simply a hat-tip for Kilkenny's TJ Reid whose 1-1 disconnected nan chair successful nan Cats' thrashing of Wexford puts him apical of nan all-time scoring list.

While Leitrim gave Galway a fright successful nan Connacht shot semi-final connected Saturday, Roscommon's dismantling of Mayo connected Sunday was nan communicative of nan play retired west.

The Rossies person been threatening to make a breakthrough for a while and a 2nd half scoring return of 1-17 saw them return down their neighbours successful eye-catching fashion.

That they did truthful without nan suspended Daire Cregg made it each nan much awesome and they will now activity to decorativeness nan occupation against nan Tribesmen successful a fortnight successful their bid for a first provincial title since 2019.

As for Mayo, Andy Moran will cognize location is simply a batch of activity to do earlier nan All-Ireland run originates adjacent month.