Down hurlers into Ulster semi-finals

Down hurlers into Ulster semi-finals

19 June 2013

SIX days previously, Ballycran’s Scott Nicholson had ridden to Down’s rescue when his opportunist goal ten minutes into the second half helped turn the Christy Ring Cup Final back in Down’s favour.

Last Sunday in Newry he did it again. Once more things were looking dodgy for Down.

With less than a minute to go before the break, Down were clinging on to a 1-8 to 1-7 lead at the end of a second quarter in which they had been resoundingly outplayed by their feisty neighbours.

Nicholson’s goal changed all that. The Armagh defence relaxed when Donal Hughes stroked an apparently aimless ball over the full back line into a wasteland to the right of their posts. Nicholson sprinted 50 yards diagonally from right to left, grabbed the ball with his left hand, spun, and drilled his shot low to the net.

It reminded Armagh that Down were four or five weeks ahead of them in fitness, much more in terms of skill. It also reminded Down that they were Christy Ring champions and they proceeded to put on an exhibition to that effect, outscoring their opponents by 1-12 to 0-4 in a one-sided second half.

Declan Coulter’s early point did pull the gap back to a single goal, but then Down ramped up the pace and shot 1-7 without replay over the next 13 minutes.

Paul Sheehan began to drift into space around the 70-yard mark and shot three exquisite points from that distance. Donal Hughes tore through from midfield to add another two.

Paul Branniff elegantly picked off three, James Coyle added two more and Conor Woods, majestic all through in defence, took another from a 65. The third Down goal came five minutes from time when sub Jonathan McCusker rose to flick a James Coyle probe over his head to the Armagh net.

It was a bit of a lap of honour, and appropriately so for this was one of those days that success starved Down hurlers dream about.

The crowd was four or five times the size of those which had watched Down at Pairc Esler earlier in this competition.

There must have been over a hundred youngsters in their number, happily pucking sliothars around the back fields during the intervals, staying on in the stands afterwards to cheer Paul Branniff brandishing the Christy Ring Cup and afterwards jostling to have their pictures taken, their jerseys signed by Croke Park hero Gareth Johnston

All in all, a good day for Down hurling, and while Johnston himself never reached the heights which had thrilled fans in Croke Park six days beforehand, there were excellent performances from defenders Michael Hughes (inset), Michael Ennis and Conor Woods, from Donal Hughes bursting forward from midfield, and from Paul Branniff, Danny Toner, Paul Sheehan and James Coyle in an attacking display which saw Down mark up 3-16 from play.

Armagh certainly put it up to them in the first half, with John Corvan, David Carville and Gerard Reid offering strong support to the admirable Declan Coulter.

Down: S. Keith; M. Conlan, P. Flynn, M. Hughes; B. Nicholson, C. Woods, M. Ennis; Donal Hughes (0-4), K. McGarry; S. Nicholson (1-0), P. Branniff (0-4), P. Sheehan (0-4); Danny Toner (0-2), G. Johnston (0-1), J. Coyle (1-3). Subs used: F. Conway for McGarry, P. Hughes for S. Nicholson, J. McCusker for Branniff, E. Clarke for Conlan; C. Hughes for S. Nicholson.

Armagh: J. Burke; C. Devlin, C. Clifford, M. McCullough; P. Hughes, N. Curry, K. McKernan; J. Corvan (1-0), M. Maguire; M. Lennon (0-1), D. Coulter (0-8), D. Carville (0-2), C. Carville, C. Reid, M. Lennon. Subs used: R. Fullerton for Hughes (blood), Padraig Hughes for Fullerton, Fullerton for Lennon; S. Gaffney for Reid; L. Woods for Corvan

Referee: Owen Elliott (Antrim).

Man of the match: M. Ennis (Down).

Down 3-20

Armagh 1-11

ULSTER SHC QUARTER-FINAL