Delighted Down secure berth in league decider

Delighted Down secure berth in league decider

26 March 2014

IT was a determined team from the Royal County that took the field at McKenna Park, Ballycran for Sunday’s NHL Division 2B fixture and they pushed Down right to the end of the 70 minutes.

Once again it was a case of Down wanting to secure a result with the performance being of secondary importance. Nevertheless Gerard Monan would have expected more cohesion and fluidity from his charges.

A minute’s silence was observed before the game in memory of Mark Colgan from the Ballyvarley club and when the game started it was Down who had the advantage of the brisk breeze.

The opening exchanges were scrappy before Willie McGrath opened the scoring for Meath after four minutes with a fine point on the run.

McGrath’s movement and direct running was causing the Down defence problems and it was no surprise when he fired over a second point after seven minutes.

Down’s response was a driving run from Fintan Conway, who laid the ball off to Johnny McCusker. Conway continued his run and when the return pass came he shot low to the Meath net from 15 yards.

At the other end, McGrath drew a foul and Jack Regan pointed the free to bring the sides level after 12 minutes.

Within a minute midfielder Conway again found himself close to the Meath goal. He competed strongly for possession and when the ball ped he was the first to react and he shot sharply to the Meath net.

Just 13 minutes had been played and despite only scoring twice, Down led by three points.

Meath continued to be the more composed team and their high fielding in defence was stopping the supply to the Down forwards. After 18 minutes Ciaran Fitzsimons found space and slotted over Meath’s fourth point.

Down’s general play was untidy, but everyone was working hard. Pressure from the Down forwards forced a loose clearance and Danny Toner opened his account.

Twenty minutes gone and Down had their first point.

Two minutes later, determined play by Paddy Hughes forced a turnover of possession and Sean Ennis fired over from 60 yards. A minute later Donal Hughes soloed from the left to the right wing and he pointed from 50 yards.

Meath’s response was to bring on Stephen Clynch and his first touch was to point a free. Just a minute later the Down defence lost the ball and when it was fed back to Clynch he made no mistake.

On 29 minutes Conor O’Neill fed Donal Hughes on the burst, but he coughed up possession as he set himself to shoot. The forwards fought hard to regain the ball and when Toner found Conway with a short pass he made no mistake.

A minute later Conor Woods got his first score from a long range free and this proved to be the last score of the half. Without impressing Down turned around five points to the good on a score line of 2-5 to 0 - 6.

Meath had wind advantage in the second half but in the opening minutes play was again concentrated in the middle of the field. After six minutes Paudie Flynn made a great catch and charged from defence but when he lost possession a free was conceded and Clynch made no mistake.

A minute later, Adam Gannon swivelled 10 yards out but whistled his shot past Stephen Keith’s right hand post. Derek Doran, who worked hard throughout, won possession on the right wing and he pointed from 40 yards to leave just three points between the teams.

Ennis stretched the gap when he pointed from 60 yards, but credit to Paddy Hughes for his persistence in winning the ball. It was back to a three-point gap when Damian Healey found Mickey Burke and he shot over.

The exchanges were tough and neither side could create clear opportunities. Down, if anything, were overplaying the ball with players reluctant to shoot.

Woods stretched the gap from a free before Donal Hughes stumbled before regaining possession and shot over.

This would prove to be Down’s last score of the game, although Caolan Bailie managed to shoot straight at the keeper when he seemed certain to find the net.

Peter Farrell pointed for Meath before Clynch, from a 21 yard free, forced a save from Keith. Down couldn’t quite clear the ball and Fitzsimons shot his second point of the game.

While Down were hanging on a little in the last eight minutes they didn’t allow Meath a sight of goal.

There is plenty for Down to work on before the Division 2B final. The defence was generally sound and Stephen Keith was confident and did all that was asked of him.

After a sticky opening 10 minutes Michael Hughes got to grips with Willie McGrath and produced another fine performance. Paddy Hughes was effective throughout and forced two turn overs that resulted in Down scores.

Conor Woods continues in impressive form. Fintan Conway was wholehearted throughout and it was his two goals that made the difference between the teams.

The forward line worked hard throughout, but struggled to create space and clear cut chances. A return of 3 points from the forward line over 70 minutes is not what is needed nor is the three points which is what the whole team scored in the second half.

Down: S. Keith, M Conlon, P Flynn, M Hughes, B Nicholson, C Woods (capt., 0-2), P. Hughes, F. Conway (2-0), S. Ennis (0-2), D. Toner (0-1), C. O’Neill, D. Hughes (0-2), C. Bailie, J. McCusker, S. Nicholson. Subs: M. Turley for Nicholson, C. O’Prey for Toner, P. Sheehan for O’Neill.

Meath: C. Bird, D. Donoghue, S. Brennan, S. Heavey (capt.), J. Toher, P. Farrell, M. Burke (0-1), S. Morris, D. Healey, J. Regan (0-1), C. Fitzsimons (0-2), W. McGrath (0-3), D. Doran (0-1), A. Gannon. Subs: S. Clynch (0-3) for Regan, G. Kelly for Burke, S. Geraghty for Healy.

Down 2-8

Meath 0-11

NHL DIVISION 2B