It was a feast of football on Saturday.
There were seven do-or-die qualifier games taking place in grounds across the country with 14 county’s seasons on the line. The Munster senior football final took place between old rivals Kerry and Cork on a sun-kissed Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Each one of the qualifier games went according to the bookies’ odds bar the meeting of Louth and Leitrim in Páirc Sean MacDiarmada. The Wee County went into this one as favourites, but backed by the home Carrick on Shannon crowd, Brendan Guckian’s side played them off the park.
The other games saw Monaghan trounce Waterford by 27 points, despite Conor McManus being held scoreless from play.
What a performance from this man holding Conor Mcmanus scoreless pic.twitter.com/CRdR9Qc0LO
— Emmetdoherty (@Emmetdoherty1) June 23, 2018
Mayo went up through the gears to eventually dispatch of a brave Tipperary challenge.
Tyrone had Carlow’s measure despite a positive start from the Scallion Eaters. Cavan narrowly edged the battle of Ulster in Brewster Park.
Chris Healy scored a late goal for Cian O’Neill’s Kildare to edge the titanic tussle of the round with Longford.
Saturday’s qualifier results
Waterford 0-9 Monaghan 5-21, Fraher Field
Tipperary 1-11 Mayo 1-19, Semple Stadium
Carlow 1-10 Tyrone 3-14, Netwatch Cullen Park
Cavan 1-14 Down 0-15, Brewster Park
Sligo 1-13 Armagh 1-19, Markievicz Park
Longford 1-13 v Kildare 1-16, Pearse Park, 7pm
Leitrim 0-25 v Louth 1-12, Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, 7pm
Munster final
Meanwhile, Kerry destroyed Cork in the Munster final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The Rebels only scored managed three points from the ninth minute of the game onwards.
It all started so brightly down south with two goals inside five minutes, but from there it was all downhill.
Cork were hapless, Kerry were class and the Kingdom won their 80th Munster title by 17 points on a scoreline of 3-18 to 2-4.
They now march onto the Super 8s.
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