Derry ensured themselves an immediate return to Division 3 this afternoon by seeing off Limerick with a superb second-half display at the Gaelic Grounds to win out by 0-13 to 1-5.

Having trailed by two points at the half, the Oak Leafers took command with a barrage of points from Chrissy Bradley and another from Ryan Bell to move 0-8 to 1-4 in front and they’d simply never look back from there.

Similar to their outing against Leitrim last weekend, Limerick looked good in the first-half and catapulted into a four-point lead after Colm McSweeney netted the game’s only goal just six minutes in.

Damian McErlain's charges grew into the game from there though and done away with their deficit at the break before Ciaran McFaul, Shane McGuigan and Karl McKaigue all raised white flags to ensure the five-point victory.

The result means that Derry are now promoted and will be joined in the Division 4 final by Leitrim if Terry Hyland's men win against London tomorrow afternoon in Carrick-on-Shannon (throw-in 1pm).

Meanwhile, Antrim’s promotion hopes went up in smoke after going down to a late 1-9 to 1-8 defeat at the hands of Waterford before just 86 spectators at Carriganore.

Stephen Beatty’s goal eight minutes into the restart looked to have the Saffrons on the path to victory after having trailed by one at the half, but the hosts finished with a late flourish as Dylan Guiry's 57th minute goal ignited a rally which saw points from Sean O’Donovan and JJ Hutchinson eventually level before full-back James McGrath won it for the Deise men in the third minute of injury-time.

In Aughrim, Wexford survived a late scare from Wicklow to hold out for a 0-12 to 0-9 win and lift themselves off the foot of the Division 4 table.

The visitors took in a commanding 0-11 to 0-4 lead at half-time thanks in no small part to the frees of Jonathan Bealin and a brace from play by veteran Ben Brosnan.

Wicklow made use of their wind advantage after the interval by notching the first three points via Jody Merrigan (free), Mark Kenny and Chris O’Brien and had the gap narrowed down to just three when James Stafford fisted an effort on to the post in injury-time before the Model men’s defence cleared the danger and the final whistle sounded. 

Derry - T Mallon; K McKaigue (0-1), M McEvoy, P McNeill; E Concannon, E McGill, J Rocks; C McKaigue, C McFaul (0-2); D Hughes, C McAtamney, P Cassidy; C Bradley (0-6, 2f), R Dougan, S McGuigan (0-3). Subs: R Bell (0-1) for D Hughes, E Lynn for R Dougan, S F Quinn for E McGill, P Coney for E Concannon, N Keenan for C Bradley.

Limerick - D O’Sullivan; S O’Dea, G Noonan, P Maher; C McSweeney (1-0), I Corbett, G Browne; D Treacy, T Childs; P Nash (0-1), J Lee (0-2, 1f), A Enright; C Fahy (0-1), P Begley, S O’Carroll (0-1). Subs: P De Brun for A Enright, B Donovan for P Nash, J Liston for C McSweeney, M Fitzgibbon for S O’Carroll, R Lynch for T Childs.

Referee - B Judge.

**

Waterford - A Beresford; S O’Donovan (0-1), J McGrath (0-1), B Looby; T O hUallachain, S Ryan, J Gleeson; S Ahearne, T Prendergast (0-1); S Whelan Barrett (0-1), D Guiry (1-1), F O Cuirrin (0-2f); M Curry, C Murray, J Mullaney. Subs: J Allen for S Ahearne, JJ Hutchinson (0-2) for J Mullaney, D Hutchinson for F O Cuirrin, S Enright for A Beresford.

Antrim - P Nugent; P McCormick, R Johnston, M McCarry; N Delargy, P Gallagher, D Lynch; M Johnston, S Beatty (1-0); K Quinn, M Fitzpatrick (0-1), C Duffin (0-1); R Murray (0-1f), P McBride (0-4), O Eastwood (0-1). Subs: R McCann for O Eastwood, E Walsh for N Delargy, J McAuley for S Beatty, C Hamill for P Gallagher.

Referee - S Mulvihill.

**

Wexford - M Doyle; M Furlong, G Sheehan, C Carty; G Malone, B Malone, M O'Neill; D Waters, N Hughes (0-2); B Brosnan (0-2), J Bealin (0-4), C Devitt (0-2); B O'Connor (0-1), E Nolan, K O'Grady (0-1). Subs: T Rossiter for B Brosnan, T Byrne for B O'Connor, E Porter for K O'Grady.

Wicklow - R Lambert; O Manning, R O'Brien, E Murtagh; D Devereux, J Snell, D Fitzgerald; P O'Toole, D Healy (0-1); C Healy, C McGraynor (0-2), D Hayden; M Kenny (0-1), C O'Brien (0-1), D Keane (0-1). Subs: S Duffy (0-2), J Merrigan (0-1).

Referee - S Mulhare.

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