Magill magic helps Burren secure win in tough battle

22 July 2020

LOUGHINISLAND suffered an eight-point defeat at home to Burren in their first Division 1B match on Friday evening, but the game was much tighter than the scoreline suggests.

The home side failed to convert most of their chances while Paddy O’Rourke’s side were more clinical in front of the posts.

Burren tormentors in chief were Danny Magill, who scored 2-2, and Donal O’Hare, who notched up 1-5, the goal coming from a penalty andthree of those points coming from frees.

Loughinisland had 35 attacks in the final third, but posted 15 wides, which gives an indication of the chances Jody Gormley’s side created during the game.

Burren scored a penalty and two goals at critical times during the hour and the Blues couldn’t claw back the deficit.

Stefan Mason was the home side’s top scorer with five points in the last home game before

his move to London in a couple of weeks.

The Blues started well and went into a two-point lead with scores from Stefan Mason and Paddy McKenny before Malachai McEvoy replied for the visitors.

Conor Megoran put the home side back into a two-point lead but Kevin McKernan pulled one back for the South Down outfit. Dean McLaughlin put Loughinisland two in front again in the 16th minute.

O’Hare gained possession and released a teasing ball to Magill, who fisted into the net for a goal to put Burren in front for the first time in the 17th minute. They never relinquished the lead followed that goal.

Loughinisland midfielder Aiden Nixon went off with an ankle injury seconds later before O’Hare put the visitors into a two-point lead.

Aaron McClements scored for the home side to leave it a one-point game before Magill restored the two-point lead for the visitors. McLaughlin pointed to put the home side just one behind.

The referee pointed to the spot after half a dozen players fought for the ball in the penalty box and O’Hare skilfully found the top corner of the net from the resultant penalty to change the game on its head.

Kevin McKernan used all his experience to put the ball over the black spot and put the visitors in a five-point cushion.

Loughinisland’s Declan McClements charged through on goal and the ball rattled off the post before Kerr found Padraig Poland, who pointed to put six points between the sides at half time.

Burren’s McKernan was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle on Eddie Nixon at the start of the second half before Stefan Mason pointed for the Blues.

Loughinisland trailed by 2-7 to 0-7 before Aaron McClements clawed a point back for the home side.

Stefan Mason scored a delightful free from 40 metres before Burren’s Danny Magill, son of two-time former Down All-Ireland winner Miceal Magill, broke Loughinisland hearts with a goal and point in two minutes to give Burren a nine-point cushion.

A lay-off from Thomas Travers resulted in a point from the flying Magill, who then fisted his second goal of the game from a three-man move past Christopher Turley.

That score seemed to refocus Loughinisland and it was all one-way traffic for the next 10 minutes.

Midfielder Declan McClements pulled back one for the home side but three wides in a row dampened their

comeback. Ben O’Reilly got on the scoresheet and Stefan Mason converted another free for Loughinisland.

Down midfielder Jonny Flynn then passed to Rory Mason, who fed Stefan to score the home side’s best score of the game in the 52nd minute to leave five points between the sides.

Sean Cochrane then received a yellow card for a tackle on Burren’s Malachai McAvoy.

Donal O’Hare scored a point from open play in the 54th minute and a free from 14 metres two minutes later to snuff out the home side’s comeback.

In the dying minutes O’Hare was at the heart of the action again. He passed a delightful ball to the impressive Liam Kerr who was unlucky when he hit a screamer off the bar in the 59th minute. O’Hare put the ball over the bar a minute later to seal an eight-point win for Burren.

Loughinisland: Christopher Turley; Dara McDonald, Paddy Megoran, Sean Cochrane; Ben O’Reilly (0-1), Damhan O’Toole, Dean McLaughlin (0-2); Aiden Nixon, Declan McClements (0-1); Rory Mason, Aaron McClements (0-1), Stefan Mason (0-5 2f); Jonathan Flynn, Paddy McKenny (0-1), Conor Megoran (0-1).

Burren: Cathal Murdock; Peter Fegan, Gearard McGovern, Malachai McAvoy (0-1); Ardan McAvoy, Conaill McGovern, Steven Fegan; Connor Toner, Ryan Treanor; Kevin McKernan (0-2), Liam Kerr, Thomas Travers; Padraig Poland (0-1), Donal O’Hare (1-5, 1 pen, 3f), Danny Magill (2-2).

Referee: Ciaran Branagan.

Loughinisland 0-12

Burren 3-11

ACFL DIVISION 1B

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder