Cavan see off Louth and Antrim beaten heavily by Offaly

Cavan picked up a much-needed win against Louth at Breffni Park

Cavan registered their first win in Division Two with a 3-15 to 0-18 victory against Louth at Breffni Park.

League leaders Roscommon maintained their winning start to the season as they recorded a 0-25 to 2-14 win against Monaghan at Dr Hyde Park.

In Division Three, Antrim suffered a heavy 4-19 to 0-15 defeat against Offaly at O'Connor's Park.

Fermanagh lost a hard-fought tussle in Ennis as they were beaten 1-17 to 1-15 by Clare.

Mixed fortunes for Cavan and Monaghan

Bannigan scored Monaghan's second goal in their defeat against Roscommon

Two goals in two second-half minutes helped Cavan to a much-needed home victory at Breffni.

The home side, who had lost to Monaghan and Meath in their opening two games, trailed 0-12 to1-7 at the break, despite James McLoughlin's goal.

It was an end-to-end first half, in which Darragh Lovett also had a penalty saved.

It continued to be nip-and-tuck until Conor Madden and Gearoid McKiernan scored in quick succession midway through the second period to give Cavan a comfortable advantage that they saw out with two late points.

At Dr Hyde Park, Conor Cox sprung from the bench to get Roscommon over the line against Monaghan.

The Eire Og man scored three points, including a two-pointer in stoppage time to secure a Rossies win in the top-of-the-table encounter.

Conor McCarthy missed a penalty in the first half for the Ulster side but goals from David Garland and Michael Bannigan meant the visitors led 2-6 to 0-8 at the interval.

Diarmuid Murtagh nailed a two-pointer as Roscommon hit the front on 50 minutes and they fired over another huge score from beyond the arc to leave the score at 0-19 to 2-10.

A free from Rory Beggan restored parity for Gabriel Bannigan's Monaghan side as they fought to preserve their 100% start, but then came Cox to raise flags of orange and white before another two-point free from Murtagh sealed the win.

Antrim well beaten and Fermanagh edged out

Antrim's hopes of promotion from Division Three were all but ended by Offaly as they fell to a 16-point loss in Tullamore, their second successive league defeat.

Offaly, who won their opening two games under joint manager Mickey Harte, made a bright start to the game and Shane Tierney scored their first goal early on.

Antrim found themselves eight points behind after 26 minutes when Cillian Bourke rattled in a second goal for the hosts.

The Saffrons fought back well to cut the gap to two points at half-time as they trailed 2-8 to 0-12.

It was a nightmare start to the second half for Andy McEntee's side however, as Conor Stewart and Conor Hand were sent off within six minutes of the restart.

Offaly capitalised on Antrim's ill-discipline, with Keith O'Neill netting two goals as they also scored 11 points in a dominant second half.

Fermanagh, meanwhile, made the trip to Cusack Park and were met by an onslaught as Clare stormed into a five-point lead with Alan Sweeney finishing to the net.

However, three successive points and a green flag from midfielder Joe McDade brought the sides level, 1-3 apiece midway through the first half.

It was the Bannermen who kicked on as Emmet McMahon and Eoin Cleary both landed two-point frees to give the hosts a 1-9 to 1-6 half-time advantage.

Josh Largo-Ellis' score from beyond the arc had Fermanagh in front early in the second period as they came from behind once more to lead, but five of the next six scores went the way of Clare.

Darragh McGurn, Fionan O'Brien and Conor Love were on target for the visitors, but the accuracy of McMahon and crucial back-to-back points from Clare's Ciaran Downes dug out the victory.

Declan McCusker was agonisingly close to salvaging a draw for Fermanagh when his shot for two points to equalise hit the post.