Down get second bite in Qualifiers

Down get second bite in Qualifiers

10 June 2015

DOWN’S senior footballers get a shot at redemption when they enter the All-Ireland Qualifiers at the end of the month.

Standing in the way of progression will be either Wexford or Westmeath — they play their Leinster SFC quarter-final tie at Cusack Park on Sunday — with most pundits expecting Down to take on Wexford on June 27.

Sunday’s disappointing defeat to Derry at Celtic Park has left a bitter taste in Down supporters’ mouths as this was a game they could and should have won.

There is no doubt that Derry had the better of the exchanges in the first half and deserved their 0-8 to 0-5 interval lead, but we saw a different side after the break.

The camaraderie instilled by Jim McCorry was there for all to see, never more so than after Burren’s Conail McGovern was controversially red-carded in the 37th minute.

Despite being down to 14 men, Down played their best football of the game and had they made the most of their scoring opportunities, Derry would have been dead and buried at the end of 70 minutes.

As it was, it took an injury time free from Eoin Bradley to give Derry passage into the semi-finals where they will now meet the winners of Sunday’s quarter-final between Armagh and donegal.

Down will appeal McGovern’s dismissal — a decision referee Eddie Kinsella made after consulting with his umpires.

The sending off appeared harsh with TV replays showing McGovern to have done little more than push his opponent away.

However, McCorry insists that it was Enda Lynn’s reaction to McGovern that led to a red card.

“When Lynn sees it back he’ll probably be a wee bit embarrassed by it,” the Down manager said.

“Some were of the view that it was very much orchestrated and there was very little in it and that pressure was brought to bear on the umpires.”

It was a case of déjà vu for Down who also had Benny McArdle wrongly dismissed — his red card was later rescinded — in April’s Allianz League Division 2 final against Roscommon.

“Everybody will try and play the game a wee bit and use it to their advantage and be cute, but that’s really a part of our game I don’t think any manager wants to see,” McCorry continued.

“It was a clear mistake by one of the umpires. That umpire is there to call points and wides. The referee has his officials on the sidelines and a fourth official. They should be making the big calls, not somebody who is maybe 60 yards away and probably didn’t have a good angle on it. To see that as striking is behind me. 

“Conail is the last person that would strike in any game. He wouldn’t swat a fly. You wouldn’t see a dirty tackle from him. He marks tightly and he’s never even on the edge. It is just not in his make-up.

McCorry was encouraged by a lot of what he saw from his team in the second half.

w“I learned again that we have great spirit. 

When we were down to 14 men we brought them right to the wire. We pushed them very, very hard. I take a lot more positives from that, but we need more composure in front of goal,” he added.