Sports Digest - Celtic's Neil Lennon knows results are key

Lennon persuades Celtic defender Izaguirre to stay

Wicklow Wins

Veteran boss Mick O’Dwyer hailed his Wicklow team after their well deserved All-Ireland football qualifier win over Sligo in Aughrim on Saturday night.
“Since I came here, we haven’t been beaten in Aughrim in the championship. We have lost in the league but not in the championship, and, as you know, that’s the only thing that matters -- the championship,” declared O’Dwyer.

“I think it’s one of the best performances by a Wicklow team since I came here, because we were up against it all the way. Three points up against a strong wind in the second half, I thought wouldn’t be enough.

“The midfield played very well. Both of them were terrible against Kildare the last day. Our team in general didn’t perform the last day, but that’s part and parcel of football.”

Down Wins

Down just about escaped Ennis with their championship ambitions intact after a close run thing against Clare in the All-Ireland football qualifiers on Saturday.

Reds boss James McCartan was left puzzled by his team’s performance less than a year after they reached the 2010 All-Ireland final.

“What we’ll take away from this game is the result and nothing else. Our boys thought they were just going to try and go for goals and we really almost rued that,” said McCartan.

“Fair play to Clare, they dug deep for the last 15 minutes of the first half and the last 15 of the second.

“We started both halves pretty brightly and then whenever it starts to unravel a wee bit you’re scratching your head. But obviously we’ll be looking at ourselves closely over the next few days.

“We’d obviously be disappointed in the way we went out of the game for long periods at the end of both halves.”
 

Qualifiers Set

Kildare will travel to local rivals Laois and Meath will entertain Galway in the pick of the second round games in the All-Ireland football qualifiers.
London’s reward for their win over Fermanagh is a home tie with Waterford. Tyrone travel to Longford and Down host Leitrim.

The full draw for games to be played on Saturday, July 9 is Limerick vs. Offaly; Down vs. Leitrim; Laois vs. Kildare; Longford vs. Tyrone; Armagh vs. Wicklow; Meath vs. Galway; Antrim vs. Carlow; London vs. Waterford.
 

GAA Shorts

Damien Reale is a long term worry for Limerick after he suffered a knee injury in a club game at the weekend. Reale won’t play against Wexford in the qualifiers on Saturday but Stephen Lucey and youngster Declan Hannon are available again...

DUBLIN midfielder Michael Dara Macauley looks set to miss the Leinster final against Wexford after breaking a finger in Sunday’s win over Kildare...

KILDARE defender Ollie Lyons is a doubt for the All-Ireland qualifier against Laois after damaging his shoulder in Sunday’s defeat to Dublin...

MEATH defender Bryan McMahon won’t play again this summer after a broken wrist ruled him out of Saturday’s qualifier win over Louth...

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Nster.com