Lidl National League wrap: Cork and Galway set the pace
Last season's Lidl National League Division 2 finalists Cork and Galway continue to set the pace in the top flight of this year’s title race.
Cork remain the only unbeaten team in Division 1 and they took a huge step towards securing a place in the decider when they saw off Waterford by 1-12 to 3-5 at Páirc Uí Rinn.
They made the most of Waterford having a player sinbinned to strike 1-05 to 0-01 when they had the extra player with Aoife Healy getting the goal and Katie Quirke finishing with 0-06.
Brid McMaugh struck two goals for Waterford, who have now lost two in a row after initially setting the pace.
Galway, who defeated Cork in that Division 2 final last year, kept up their challenge with a 1-11 to 1-09 win over reigning champions Kerry in Tralee.
Leanne Coen got the goal for Galway early in the second half to extend their 0-09 to 1-04 interval lead, with Danielle O’Leary getting Kerry’s goal after 18 minutes.
Kildare gave their hopes of avoiding the drop a big boost when they ousted neighbours Meath by 4-08 to 1-10 for their first win of the campaign.
Gillian Wheeler, Mayah Doyle, Alannah Prizeman and Aoife Murnane got the goals for Kildare as Meath fell to their third defeat of the campaign.
Armagh and Dublin both badly needed a win when they clashed at the Box-It Athletic Grounds but in the end they finished 2-11 apiece and now occupy the two relegation spots with two rounds of games left.
Indeed, the relegation battle looks set to go down to the wire with just two points separating the bottom five teams - a group which includes Kerry, Meath and Dublin, the three sides to win the last nine TG4 All-Ireland senior championship titles between them.
Kelly Mallon slotted home two penalties for Armagh but Orlagh Nolan saved Dublin with a haul of 2-8, including a late equalising point.
In Division 2, Cavan strengthened their position at the head of affairs with victory over Monaghan, as Donegal and Tyrone also kept up their drive for promotion.
Cavan defeated relegation-threatened neighbours Monaghan by 2-09 to 1-09 while Donegal edged out Mayo by a point and Tyrone hit the net four times against Wexford.
In Division 3, there were wins for Fermanagh, Roscommon, Louth and Clare as Leitrim, Wicklow, Carlow and Sligo claimed Division 4 wins.
