Down are back at Croke

Down are back at Croke

24 September 2014

WILL the red and black flags of Down be flying proudly in victory at Croke Park for the second time in a fortnight?

Just two weeks after the county’s camogs captured the All-Ireland junior title, Down’s lady footballers go for glory in the All-Ireland intermediate final.

Up against them are Fermanagh, who they swept aside in the Ulster final back in July.

They will need to be at their best against a Fermanagh side still smarting from that Ulster defeat and hell bent on revenge.

Fermanagh have a score-laden attack, not least the ultra-dangerous Little sisters, Sharon and Caroline. But Down also pack plenty of punch and in Kyla Trainor they have a player whose finishing skills are feared the length and breadth of Ireland.

Under Copeland, Down have bounced back from a 2013 season that promised so much, but ended in disappointment.

They lost out to Fermanagh in the Ulster final and then succumbed to Cavan in the All-Ireland semi-final when it was hoped they could go all the way.

Since then a new regime has taken hold with an emphasis on clearly defined targets and on taking one game at a time.

The improvement was there for all to see when Down won their first ever Ulster ladies’ title in July, running out six-point winners over Fermanagh on a 0-15 to 1-6 scoreline.

They worked hard for the crown, but they didn’t sit back and relax. Instead, they trained even harder in preparation for their All-Ireland quarter-final against Sligo.

With the help of two goals and eleven points in the first half from Trainor and Aileen Pyers, Down were eight points clear at half time and looked home and dry.

However, they had to withstand an incredible second half comeback from the Connacht side and in the end scraped home by 2-14 to 3-10.

A couple of weeks later came an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Leitrim in Mullingar, which turned out to be a thriller.

Again Down were out of the blocks faster and at half time led by six points on a 0-11 to 1-2 scoreline.

Down continued to rack up the scores in the second half and with 12 minutes to go still led by six.

Leitrim fought back, scoring three points in the last three minutes to force extra time and leave the Down fans biting their finger nails.

Down’s last appearance in an All-Ireland final was in 2005 when they lost out to Roscommon by a single point.

They won the All-Ireland junior title in 2000 when a 17 year-old Lisa Morgan was in the side. Lisa will once again be in the Down colours this Sunday and hopefully she and the rest of the Down girls will be victorious.