Final place prize after super show in Armagh

27 June 2012 - by BY MATT FITZPATRICK

In one of the most exciting Ulster SFC games in recent years Down produced a fantastic second half to come from nine points behind to overcome Monaghan in Armagh on Sunday.

Down’s hero was right half back Darren O’Hagan. The 22 year-old Clonduff club man slotted over the winning point a minute into added time to give Down victory in a nailbiting finish.

Down gave a display of football that only a Mourne side can produce. Outplayed, overrun and completely outscored during the first 35 minutes they then came out for the second period and gave an exhibition of football at its brilliant best. A flurry of four unanswered points at the death left Monaghan in despair.

Let’s be honest. In the first half Down were very poor. Monaghan completely outplayed them with swift passes and scores from all angles and distances.

But all that changed in the second half when Ambrose Rogers and Kalum King took control against Owen Lennon and Dick Clerkin in midfield and Conor Laverty turned in a masterly display as he led the Down attack.

Indeed had a much stricter and more experienced referee been in charge Down would never have had to produce such a fightback. In one of the poorest exhibitions I have been in over a quarter of a century the decisions of Sligo referee Michael Duffy baffled the players, the spectators and myself.

Down should have been awarded another two penalties at least, with Ambrose Rogers and Eoin McCartan denied spot kicks.

The decision to allow the Monaghan goal was an utter howler. Duffy stopped the game for a Monaghan free and was calling over Down full back Benny McArdle to him to give a yellow card.

Conor McManus took a quick free to Tommy Freeman, who shot to the net to give Monaghan a four-point lead with 12 minutes to go.

The referee was booed off the pitch at the end by the Down supporters and while I do not agree with that sort of behaviour I must say that the referee assessors will have plenty to look at.

Players, like Aidan Brannigan, can be suspended by the CCCC looking at TV incidents. Why can’t referees, who are all paid officials, not be subject to the same action?

But the end result is that Down are in the Ulster final and rightly so. They will want to forget that disastrous first half. But changes which saw Kevin Duffin replace Daniel McCartan after 20 minutes and the reshuffle which saw Conor Garvey move into the full back line and Aidan Carr take over at left half back did have a settling effect on the side.

Conor Garvey brought off a couple of great catches, as did Benny McArdle, and these gave the side much-needed confidence. Along with Darren O’Hagan and Gerard McCartan they improved as the match progressed.

Ambrose Rogers was a driving force at midfield and his strong runs through deep into the Monaghan defence had the desired effect.

The Down attack, which could not muster a score from play in the first half, came out of their shell in the second period.

Danny Hughes worked hard as did Mark Poland and Donal O’Hare, who was most unfortunate to be substituted in the second half.

However, the star of the Down attack and indeed the star player on the pitch was Conor Laverty. The 26 year-old Kilcoo dynamo gave the Monaghan defence a real testing time and scored two brilliant points. He also won the penalty with his strong run through the Monaghan defence and emerged as the player of the match.

The Monaghan defence was found wanting when Down turned up the pressure. Dessie Mone, Darren Hughes and Drew Wylie were best in defence while in attack Paul Finlay with his five points, including three frees, and Conor McManus along with Stephen Gallogly were best in attack.

Monaghan started strongly and points from a Darren Hughes free followed by one from play by Paul Finlay and one from Conor McManus saw Monaghan three ahead within the opening six minutes.

Ambrose Rogers pointed a Down free after nine minutes but Monaghan took control as points flowed from Conor McManus with two from play and Paul Finlay with two from frees to give them a 0-7 to 0-1 lead midway through the half.

Down’s second point came from a Donal O’Hare free ten minutes from the interval, but Monaghan hit back with two Conor McManus pointed frees and one each from Paul Finlay and Dick Clerkin with the first half 35 minutes played.

In the two minutes of added time Down got a lifeline when Conor Laverty’s jinking run through the Monaghan defence was halted by Monaghan full back Vinnie Corey inside the big square for a penalty.

Aidan Carr coolly beat Monaghan keeper Mark Keogh for a goal to leave a half time scoreline of Monaghan 0-11 Down 1-2.

Down restarted well but Aidan Carr was wide from as long range free. With seven minutes gone Donal O’Hare pointed a Down free and three minutes later Kevin Duffin raced up the left wing and pointed Down’s first score from play after 45 minutes of action.

Down were now moving into overdrive and points from a Donal O’Hare free and two glorious points from Conor Laverty left just one between the sides midway through the half.

Darren Hughes, from a 45, and Aidan

Carr exchanged points before Monaghan

had their controversial goal 12 minutes from time to give the Farney men a four-point

lead.

Donal O’Hare pointed two Down frees while Paul Finlay had a Monaghan point as they led by three with seven minutes remaining.

Down came surging forward led by Ambrose Rogers, Kalum King (inset) and Aidan Carr. Benny Coulter came on for Donal O’Hare with four minutes remaining and his first touch saw him send over the bar.

Liam Doyle, who had replaced Kevin Duffin, pointed a free to leave Down a point behind with two minutes left for play.

This score inspired Down and with the 70 minutes played Aidan Carr pointed a Down free to level the game.

Right from the kick out a high lob from Rogers landed in the Monaghan goal area.

In the scramble Darren O’Hagan secured possession and fisted the ball over the bar for the winning score.

Down had come back from the dead and deservedly reached the Ulster final on July 22 against either Donegal or Tyrone.

Down: B. McVeigh; D. McCartan, B. McArdle, G. McCartan D. O’Hagan (0-1), K. McKernan, C. Garvey; A. Rogers (0- free), K. King; D. Hughes, M. Poland, A. Carr (1-2, 1-0 penalty, 0-1 free); D. O’Hare (0- 5 frees), C. Laverty (0-2), E. McCartan. Subs: K. Duffin (0-1) for D. McCartan (20), L. Doyle (0- free) for Duffin (62), B. Coulter (0-1) for O’Hare (65).

Monaghan: M. Keogh; D. Wylie, V. Corey, C. Walshe; D. Hughes (0-1 free), D. Mone, K. O’Connell; O. Lennon, D. Clerkin (0-1); P. Dooney, S. Gallogly, J. Turley; K. Hughes, P. Finlay (0-5, 0-3 frees), C. McManus (0-5, 0-3 frees).

Subs: T. Freeman (1-0) for K. Hughes (49), K. Duffy for Dooney (49), N. McAdam for Turley (66), C. Hanratty for Gallogly (70).

Referee: M. Duffy (Sligo). Attendance: 11,149.

Final score: Down 1-14 Monaghan 1-13.

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