Down collapse to unlucky reversal

23 January 2013

DOWN’S hopes of progressing to a Dr McKenna Cup decider with Tyrone were scuppered by a late Monaghan rally at a wintry Athletic Grounds, Armagh, on Sunday afternoon.

The Mourne men led by a point with only a few minutes of normal time remaining, but a late trio of scores — one from the superb Conor McManus and two from Darren Hughes — sent Malachy O’Rourke’s charges through to this Saturday’s final.

James McCartan made seven personnel changes to his line-out from that which started against Armagh last Wednesday night.

Gerard McAnulty, Brendan McArdle and David McKibben all made way in the defence, Conor Gough moved to the bench from midfield and Benny Coulter, Liam Doyle and Paul McComiskey were omitted from the attack.

Dan McCartan, Peter Turley (inset) and Ryan Mallon came into the back six, Kalum King returned to the middle of the park and Keith Quinn, Donal O’Hare and Arthur McConville were added to the forward line.

Down started in a very positive fashion with the impressive Connaire Harrison getting the game’s first score. The talented Glasdrumman marksman fielded a high ball and shot on sight within the first minute. Their lead was soon doubled when Donal O’Hare split the posts with a well taken free.

By the 13th minute the Farney men were back on terms as talisman Conor McManus sent over two frees.

The second of these was a monstrous effort from wide left on the side line.

With Kalum King having an increasing impact in the middle third, Down closed out the first quarter with three scores on the run. Keith Quinn got the first of these as he worked a clever one-two with the industrious Arthur McConville before popping the leather over Mark Keogh’s bar.

Donal O’Hare followed this up with his second free after Darren Hughes fouled Peter Turley.

The last of the treble arrived from playmaker Mark Poland. The Longstone man got his first of four scores from play after administering the

finishing touches to patient team move.

Despite both sides being sloppy in their distribution, it was Monaghan who soon seized the initiative. A 21st minute free from Conor McManus brought it back to a two-point game.

All Monaghan’s probing soon came to bare fruit when McManus finished with aplomb to Michael Cunningham’s net on 27 minutes after some sweet interchange play with Owen Duffy.

Clontibret’s finest eased his way through the Down rearguard and left the Castlewellan custodian with no chance after a rasping drive.

Malachy O’Rourke’s troops now held a one point lead, but in a four minute period Down were back in charge again by two. Donal O’Hare sent over his third free after Harrison had been impeded. Following this, Arthur McConville picked the right time to shoot as his trusty left boot delivered a point after his side engaged in yet another patient build-up against a packed Monaghan defence.

The classy Mark Poland then grabbed his second of the afternoon when he raised the white flag after Aidan Carr made a crucial interception in the middle of the park.

It was to be Monaghan, though, who would finish the half the stronger and eventually draw level. Owen Duffy pointed before McManus’ fourth free from around 40 yards out in injury time levelled the affair.

Both teams enjoyed their share of dominance of the middle third during the first half. Everything in the Down attack was been channelled through Poland and McConville while Harrison and O’Hare were showing well in a two-man full forward line.

With conditions worsening, it took a fine score from Conor McManus straight from the restart to kick start the second half. This was only the second time in the game that Monaghan had held the lead.

It proved to be shortlived. The foraging Donal O’Hare set up Down’s next two scores from Ryan Mallon and Mark Poland as James McCartan saw his unit take a one-point advantage.

With 43 minutes on the clock midfielder Dick Clerkin pulled Monaghan back into the game.

Down lost possession in their own defence and Clerkin was the grateful recipient as he pointed to level the game once again.

A couple of minutes later Down edged ahead. Bryansford’s Danny Savage had just entered the fray and he was soon to have an immediate impact as he converted on his first foray forward.

Whilst Savage was leading the Monaghan rearguard a merry dance, an incident involving Down’s Keith Quinn and Monaghan pair Karl O’Connell and Kieran Hughes ended up with Quinn receiving his marching orders after picking up his second yellow card. O’Connell also received a yellow card in the process.

With Down’s resources now stretched, that man again McManus pounced to point after some excellent approach play from substitute Paul Finlay. What followed was a 12 minute period were neither side added to the scoreboard.

Things started to heat up in the final ten minutes. Mark Poland once again guided Down ahead with a great finish after Conor Gough and Declan Rooney worked the ball through to the Longstone finisher.

Monaghan’s Paul Finlay retorted with a converted free a minute later after Aidan Carr was penalised for a high tackle.

The game ebbed and flowed before a level playing field was restored when Karl O’Connell was sent off with five minutes of normal time remaining. This spurred Down on to take

the lead for what turned out to be the last time in the game as Danny

Savage sent over a free in the 67th minute.

With the battle finely poised it was Monaghan who grabbed the bull by the horns to see out the contest.

With one minute of normal time remaining their star turn Conor McManus laced over his seventh and final point of the game.

This levelled affairs once again, but it was the enigmatic Darren Hughes who stole the show as his two thunderous injury time efforts sealed a

last gap victory and sent Monaghan through to face Tyrone in Saturday’s final.

Down were best served by the tenacious Ryan Boyle, Aidan Carr and Declan Rooney in defence.

Kalum King had his moments around the middle while Mark Poland was very dangerous in an attack which had notable contributions from Arthur McConville, Connaire Harrison and Donal O’Hare.

Bryansford’s Danny Savage had a noticeable impact when introduced from the bench.

Down: M. Cunningham, D. McCartan, P. Turley, R. Boyle, D. Rooney, A. Carr, R. Mallon (0-1), K. King, K. McKernan, D. Turley, M. Poland (0-4), K. Quinn (0-1), D. O’Hare (0-3, 3F), A. McConville (0-1), C. Harrison (0-1). Subs: D. Savage (0-2, 1F) for A. McConville (42), C. Laverty for D. Turley (43), D. McKibben for P. Turley (50), C. Gough for K. King (55), P. McComiskey for D. O’Hare (61).

Monaghan: M. Keogh, R. McNally, D. Wylie, O. Coyle, K. Duffy, D. Hughes (0-2), K. O’Connell, O. Lennon, D. Clerkin (0-1), K. Hughes, P. Donaghy, N. McAdam, D. Malone, C. McManus (1-7, 4F), O. Duffy (0-1). Subs: F. Kelly for D. Wylie (24), P. Finlay (0-1, 1F) for D. Clerkin (46), M. McElroy for O. Coyle (51), G. Dougan for P. Donaghy (67).

Down 0-13

Monaghan 1-12

McKENNA CUP SEMI-FINAL

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