Allianz Football League Division Two: Armagh edge out Louth as Cavan win & Ernemen draw

Stefan Campbell and Conor Turbitt hit a combined tally of seven points as Armagh edged a 0-12 to 0-11 win over Louth in the Division Two opener.

Sam Mulroy missed a last gasp free to level the game after Armagh had been aided by the wind in the second half.

Louth led 0-4 to 0-0 but Armagh cut the margin to 0-5 to 0-4 by half-time.

In the other games in Division Two, eight Paddy Lynch points helped Cavan beat Kildare 0-16 to 0-12 while Fermanagh drew 1-9 to 0-12 in Meath.

A crowd of 10,452 watched at the Athletic Grounds as the Wee County raced into an early lead with Ryan Burns and Paul Matthews on target.

Armagh finally got up and running on 21 minutes, Conor Turbitt firing over a close-range free.

Oisin Conaty and Rory Grugan exchanged points with Tommy Durnin and Dermot Campbell as Ger Brennan's side led 0-5 to 0-4 at half time.

Conor Grimes got the first score of the second half to double Louth's lead but the hosts responded with six points without reply as Campbell, Grugan, Turbitt and captain Aidan Forker all landed scores.

Ciaran Downey pointed either side of scores from Turbitt as a single score split the sides.

Louth forced a 45 in the final second of added time but Mulroy's difficult effort tailed left and short as the final whistle sounded much to the relief of the home supporters.

Paddy Lynch's eight points helped Cavan account for Kildare at Netwatch Cullen Park

Lynch stars in Cavan victory

With Newbridge unavailable, Kildare hosted Cavan at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow and the visitors secured an encouraging win for new manager Raymond Galligan as Lynch notched half of their 16-point tally which included seven frees.

Two early Lynch placed balls helped Cavan move 0-3 to 0-0 ahead but Darragh Kirwan opened Kildare's account in the sixth minute and they were on terms at 0-5 to 0-5 by the 15th minute aided by a second Kirwan score and a Jimmy Hyland effort.

But two more Lynch frees contributed to Cavan moving 0-9 to 0-6 ahead by half-time with Gerard Smith and Killian Clarke also on target for Galligan's side.

Ciaran Brady, a fortnight after helping Arva land the All-Ireland Junior title at Croke Park, increased Cavan's lead after the break but a Kirwan point and two efforts from impressive substitute Shane O'Sullivan reduced the margin to 0-11 to 0-9 by the 50th minute.

However, that was at close as Kildare got as two Lynch points, including an effort from play, restored Cavan's four-point lead by the 55th minute.

Cavan managed the game impressively in the closing stages as two more Lynch frees were split by a Cormac O'Reilly point.

Kieran Donnelly's Fermanagh side led for the most of the game at Pairc Tailteann but had to settle for a draw

Fermanagh draw after letting lead slip

At Pairc Tailteann, a Shea Cassidy goal helped Fermanagh lead 1-5 to 0-5 at half-time and they were three up with 15 minutes remaining before Meath hit the final three scores to earn a draw.

Allianz League debutant Eoghan Frayne kicked the equaliser in the 65th minute which was his fifth point of the contest.

Fermanagh initially struggled to use their first-half wind advantage as three Daithi McGowan points helped Meath lead 0-3 to 0-2.

However, the Ernemen picked up the pace in the 10 minutes before half-time as Cassidy hit 1-1 in addition to points from the impressive Ultan Kelm and Garvan Jones.

Cassidy's goal came after a sweeping move out of their own defence.

A Sean Cassidy point increased Fermanagh's lead to four after half-time but Frayne's third point of the game started a run of four straight Meath scores with Mathew Costello, Ronan Jones and Frayne on target.

Fermanagh appeared back in control as Oisin Smith, Garvan Jones and Aidan Breen all pointed to put them 1-9 to 0-9 ahead after 55 minutes.

But the Ernemen failed to score in the remaining action as scores from Shane Walsh, Adam O'Neill and Frayne had Meath on terms by the 65th minute.

Fermanagh had Joe McDade black carded in the 68th minute as Meath looked the more likely winners but Costello missed their best opportunity as he dropped a shot short into Sean McNally's hands.