Down fail to progress despite win

Down fail to progress despite win

21 January 2015

DOWN narrowly missed out on a McKenna Cup semi-final spot when Cavan beat Monaghan on Sunday to relegate Jim McCorry’s men into the runners-up spot in their group.

However, an ever improving Down made light of the horrendous conditions last Wednesday night to secure another pre-season success over a talented university side.

The rain was hammering down in the closing stages as the winners clipped over the last three points of the game to record back-to-back victories but ultimately one which couldn’t secure a semi final spot.

Down made the best start to deservedly lead by 1-5 to 0-3 at half-time.

There were only two scores inside the opening 15 minutes as both sets of players struggled to get to grips with the inclement weather.

Conor Laverty had got the Mourne county off to an explosive start when he found the net for the first score of the game.

Caolan Mooney replied with a point against his native county and the third score of the night didn’t arrive until the 19th minute, courtesy of Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin, to make it 1-1 to 0-1.

Conor Maginn and Danny McKay pointed either side of a Cillian O’Connor effort for the students as Jim McCorry’s men assumed a commanding 1-3 to 0-2 advantage with nine minutes left to the break.

Donal Hare and O’Connor (free) traded points and Devlin closed the first half scoring with a converted free for the home team.

O’Hare (0-2) and Peter Fitzpatrick pointed for the winners after the restart to fire them into an eight-point lead, but Jordanstown were not about to roll over.

Full of confidence after their victory over Cavan the previous weekend, they struck back with a Niall McKeever goal and a brace of Paddy McBrearty points, 1-8 to 1-5.

Arthur McConville and O’Connor swapped points as the gap remained at three with 20 minutes to go. Niall Madine and McKeever also traded scores.

The game was very much in the balance going into the last ten minutes, but Down finished strongest with unanswered points from Cathal Crilly, O’Hare and Laverty to win by six and record a second successive group win.

Down: S. Kane, D. O’Hagan, L. Howard, D. Turley, M. Magee, B. McArdle, D. McKay (0-1), N. Madine (0-1), P. Fitzpatrick (0-1), P. Devlin (0-2f), C. McGovern, C. Maginn (0-1), C. Laverty (1-1), A. McConville (0-1), D. O’Hare (0-4, 2f). Subs: C. Garvey for McKay, K. McKernan for D. Turley, P. Turley for N. Madine (BC), C. Crilly (0-1) for McGovern, K. Anderson for McConville.

UUJ: S. Fox, K. Brady, R. Johnston, D. McNally, B. Sankey, M. Donnelly, C. Harkin, C. Mooney (0-1), N. McKeever (1-1), F. Burns, C. O’Boyle, R. Donnelly, L. Gervin, R. O’Neill, C. O’Connor (0-3f). Subs: P. McBrearty (0-2) for Gervin, K. Hughes for Harkin, M. Johnston for Sankey, P. Casey for McNally, J. McGovern for Burns, R. McAlinden for R. Donnelly.

Down 1-13

Ulster University 1-7

DR McKENNA CUP