Sheeran delivers for Down at the death

Sheeran delivers for Down at the death

26 January 2022

A POINT deep in injury time brought delight for Down’s senior hurlers and despair for Donegal at the Dub in Belfast last Friday night.

Paul Sheeran’s 72nd minute free secured a dramatic victory for a Down side who had to play for most of the final with only 14 men.

Down certainly got out of jail as the Mourne men trailed by 2-17 to 0-18 three minutes from time. Enter super sub Marc Fisher who crashed a 21-metre free to the net and suddenly it was game on.

Even though Gerard Gilmore got another point for the gallant losers, Down were unstoppable as Fisher and co went for the jugular.

A goal in each half from Donegal’s man of the match Davin Flynn looked to have secured his country’s first ever Conor McGurk Cup on a greasy and bumpy pitch.

Flynn struck with deadly effect in the 11th and 50th minutes as Donegal surged clear in the second half. But they were just not able to match Down in those final frenetic moments.

Down sprang from the traps like an electric hare and the wristy Paul Sheehan pointed after just seven seconds.

That set the pattern for early Mourne dominance with two snappy points from the lively Oisin McManus and the burly Pearse Óg McCrickard after just three minutes.

Flynn opened Donegal’s account in the sixth minute and he and full-forward Ritchie Ryan had further points as Sheehan nudged Down into a 0-5 to 0-3 lead.

The impressive Pearse Óg McCrickard then angled over a fine point before centre back Caolan Taggart was given a straight red card in the 12th minute after an incident with Ryan on the sideline.

Undaunted, the Mourne men eased into a 0-7 to 0-3 lead thanks to the inevitable Sheehan.

But then Ronan McDermott won a ball in a ruck of Down players and found Flynn in clear space on goal. The ice cool ex-Tipp Intermediate star flicked the ball to the net to level the scores.

Donegal took the lead for the first time in the 25th minute through Conor Gartland and a fine effort from Josh Cronnolly McGee as they nosed ahead by 1-8 to 0-9.

But the Down men made light of their numerical disadvantage and were a bit unlucky to be only drawing with Donegal at the break on a score of 1-9 to 0-12.

Donegal led had for most of the second half and looked done enough for a historic victory until Fisher and Co finished a memorable night for the Mourne men.

Down: S Keith; C Cassidy, J McManus, M Conlon; B Trainor (0-3), C Teggart, L Savage; D Hughes, J Doran (0-1); P J Davidson (0-1), R McCrickard, P Sheehan (0-10, 7f) O McManus (0-2), E Sands, P Óg McCrickard (0-1). Subs: D Sands for R McCrickard (30), M Fisher (1-3) for Davidson (38), R McCusker for McManus, C Egan (0-1) for Doran (51), N Fitzsimmons for E Sands (71).

Donegal: L White; B McIntyre (0-1) S Gillespie, P Doherty; S McVeigh, G Browne, J O’Loughlin; M Donoghue, C Gartland (0-1); G Gilmore, B Laffferty, R McDermott (0-1); J Cronnolly McGee (0-2), R Ryan (0-8f), Davin Flynn (2-5, 1f). Subs: C McDermott for O’Loughlin (27), R Hilferty for Cronnolly-McGee (60).

Referee: C McCloskey (Antrim).