There were no winners or losers in today’s Allianz Football League Division 1 games as all three opening round matches ended in draws.

Rob Hennelly’s late free saved Mayo a 0-11 apiece draw against Donegal at Markievicz Park, where the Tir Chonaill men had led for large portions before the Connacht champions snatched a share of the spoils with the last kick.

Played in soaking wet conditions, the game’s opening half saw Donegal bossing proceedings as the points of Michael Murphy (2), Conor O’Donnell, Michael Langan (2) and Ryan McHugh surged them towards a 0-7 to 0-3 half-time lead.

Declan Bonner’s men maintained that four-point advantage after the turnaround, stretched it to five with 20 minutes remaining and it looked like they could even afford a missed penalty from Paddy McBrearty which Hennelly did superbly to keep out.

Mayo rallied down the home stretch though and points from Ryan O’Donoghue (2), Paddy Durcan and the returning Jason Doherty set the stage for Hennelly to curl over the equaliser from a free in the fourth minute of injury-time.

In Newbridge, Jimmy Hyland’s injury-time free saw Kildare earn a 0-13 to 1-10 draw with Kerry.

Jack O’Connor’s return to the sideline at St Conleth’s Park looked like being a winning one after Killian Spillane netted the Kingdom’s goal four minutes in and they’d go on to hold a 1-7 to 0-6 lead at half-time as David Clifford, Tom O’Sullivan and Sean O’Shea erased points from Hyland at the other end.

The Lilywhites stayed in contention after the turnaround however, as Paddy Woodgate’s free-taking kept them within a goal and in the last 10 minutes they’d earn more frees for him to pop over before Hyland landed a brace in the closing minutes, including an injury-time free that denied the Munster champions in the end.

Tyrone’s Frank Burns with David Garland of Monaghan ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

The day’s later game in Omagh saw Tyrone and Monaghan battle it out in the wind and rain before finishing all square on 0-9 each.

Three points in as many minutes from Nathan Donnelly, Niall Sludden and Cathal McShane created some daylight for the home side as they led 0-5 to 0-2 midway through the first-half.

Monaghan got their deficit trimmed down but a splendid point from Sludden saw the All-Ireland champions leading by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval.

Ryan McAnespie, goalkeeper Rory Beggan (from play) and Conor McCarthy raised white flags that got the Farney men level ahead of Darren McCurry’s point taking back the lead for the Red Hands.

In the end though, it was substitute Conor McManus that drove over the equaliser for Monaghan from 40 metres out as neither side could get on the scoreboard again in the five minutes of regulation remaining and the injury-time that followed.

The results mean Armagh sit at the top of the Division 1 table after opening weekend following last night’s five-point win over Dublin at Croke Park, with the Dubs occupying the unfamiliar position of bottom spot ahead of next weekend’s trip to Tralee.

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