Classy Oisin helps Down into league showdown

4 March 2020

DOWN earned a well-deserved two points in Liatroim on Sunday afternoon and all but secured a place in the divisional final.

A mid-week change of venue to Liatroim meant this encounter was played on a pristine surface, ensuring a thrilling encounter, which Rónán Sheehan said was a massive contributing factor to today win.

“I’d like to thank all in the Liatroim club, to take the game at such short notice was a credit to them. The facilities and the carpet like surface of Fontenoy Park was a massive boost for us today, and suited our fast-open style of play.”

Kildare knew that a nothing less than a win would be good enough and despite playing into the wind, were quickest out of the blocks, opening up a 0-6 to 0-2 lead in the opening quarter with Jack Sheridan and Brian Byrne frees punishing Down indiscretions.

A fourth minute Chris Egan point being Down’s only score from play in the first quarter.

Sheehan got his match-ups spot on, as Caolan Taggart and John McManus put the shackles on Kildare’s James Burke and Sheridan to minimise any threat on goal.

Down created lots of scoring opportunities in the first half, but just couldn’t convert them, whilst Danny Toner and midfielder Pearse Óg McCrickard got through a trojan amount of work around the middle of the park to keep the pressure on the Lilywhites.

Down hit a period of ascendancy inside the final five minutes of the half, trailing 0-4 to 0-9, Danny Toner struck over from 60 metres on 32 minutes and after MacManus pointed from outside the 20 metre line, Ronan Costello broke free from the attentions of Rian Boran in added time to fire over the bar, when a goal could so easily have resulted.

MacManus, playing on home soil, opened the scoring seconds into the restart, firing over from 20 metres, before adding a free a minute later,

much to the pleasure of the local home support.

Kildare nosed out in front again, only to see the first of three second half Conor Woods monster frees from deep inside the Down half and a Matt Conlon score, tie matters for the third time. McCrickard sent over a wondrous 50 metre side line for the lead score.

But disaster struck minutes when Shane Ryan rounded Mark Patterson and his shot flew past Stephen Keith, Kildare were up by one.

The game was finely balanced as Egan levelled for the hosts once more and with Kildare having a game in hand over Down and the day’s prize a league final spot in two weeks, Paul Divilly scored Kildare’s final point, but Down pushed for the line and got the last four scores, two MacManus frees and two more long distance strikes from the impressive Conor Woods.

Rónán Sheehan was impressed with his sides work rate: “We were slow to settle in the first 15 minutes, given this was the biggest test we’ve had since the Derry game,” he said.

“Eoghan Sands led up front, and although we missed two to three goal chances, we kept our composure in the tackle and kept plugging away, once more Danny Toner had a brilliant game and with the experience of Caolan Taggart and Darragh Mallon in defence, Kildare were going to have out work us for every score.”

Down: S Keith, M Patterson, J McManus, D Mallon, C Taggart, C Woods (0-3f), G Hughes, M Conlon (0-1), P Óg McCrickard (0-1), R Costello (0-1), R McCusker, D Toner (0-1), O MacManus (0-10, 8f), E Sands, C Egan (0-2). Subs: T Murray for McCusker.

Kildare: P McKenna, C Forde, J Doran, S Leacy, N Ó Muineacháin, R Kelly, R Boran (0-1), P Divilly (0-1), A Kelly, C Dowling, B Byrne (0-5, 4f), J Burke (0-2), C Smith (0-1), J Sheridan (0-4f), S Ryan (1-0). Subs: J Travers for A Kelly, C Kielty for Smith.

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder