Heartache for Down as Tyrone lift first provincial title in four decades

Heartache for Down as Tyrone lift first provincial title in four decades

15 May 2024

DESPITE losing the Armagh City Hotel Ulster Junior final on Sunday in Pearse Óg Armagh, Down will be pretty pleased with their performance against Division 4 league champions Tyrone.

Down opened with a goal from Niamh Burns and were still on level terms at the end of the first quarter when Ellen Shields pointed a long range free.

However, Oilibhia Farley, Roisin O’Neill-McKee, player of the match Lára Devlin and Cara Little all found the target midway through and a goal from Little opened a gap that stretched to 1-11 to 1-1 at the break.

Down emerged for the second half in determined mood and points each from Niamh Burns and Ellen Shields narrowed the gap before Emer Smyth fired in a superb goal to make it 1-12 to 2-3. 

Shortly after that Smyth made room for another shot at goal, but this time Tyrone net minder Emer Coulter got her stick to it and the sliotar was worked upfield for Lára Devlin to fire to the net. That essentially was a six-point turnaround and it was also a score that lifted Tyrone.

Devlin hit three points before Cara Little scored her second goal and that effectively sealed the deal to give Tyrone their first provincial adult title in nearly four decades.

Down had big games from Eimear Doyle and Katie Morgan in defence, Ellen Shields at midfield and forwards Shanna Fettis, Niamh Burns and Emer Smyth.

They look to be in good shape for the upcoming Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Junior championship.

Down’s first outing in that competition sees them travelling to last year’s beaten finalists Tipperary on Saturday, May 25.

They have two home games, against Wicklow and Armagh before facing Tyrone once again in the final group game.

Down: A Magee, A Breen, O Dempster, C Morgan, E Doyle, K Morgan, S Gorman, S Malone (0-1), E Shields (0-4), C McEvoy, S Fettis, R O’Toole, N Burns (1-1), E Smyth (1-0), E Mullen/.

Subs: A O’Hanlon for O Dempster, M Kelly for S Gorman, R Canniford for C Morgan, L Mason for C McEvoy.

Tyrone: E Colton, B Moohan, N McKiver, M O’Hanlon, A McDonald, A Cunningham, U McCann, O Farley (0-2), G McDonald, L Devlin (1-6), S Donnelly (0-1), R O’Neill McKee (0-1), C Little (2-3), M Donnelly, L Fitzgerald (0-2).

Subs: G Devlin for M O’Hanlon, R McErlean for M Donnelly, B Barker for N McKiver, B Kerr for S Donnelly, M Clarke for O Farley.