Down shackled by determined Tyrone

Down shackled by determined Tyrone

16 May 2018

DOWN’S Minor footballers suffered a chastening defeat at Pairc Esler on Saturday night when they were forced to play second fiddle to Tyrone.

Victory sent Tyrone soaring into the semi-finals with Down now facing Monaghan in the Qualifiers on Sunday at Healy Park, Omagh, for the right to join the Red Hands in the latter stages of the competition.

A much bigger, physically stronger and more inventive Tyrone played well within themselves, defended resolutely and scored at crucial stages of the game — Down didn’t.

Things looked ominous for Down early on as the imposing Michael McGleenan lorded things in and around the middle of the field, but it was the home side who registered the game’s first score through Tom Close.

Alas, this was Down’s last score for almost 20 minutes as Tyrone eased into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead. Tyrone simply bottled Down’s forwards up and plundered points from Daniel Fullerton, Oran Mulgrew, Tarlach Quinn and a goal from the bustling Mark Hayes.

Down’ second point was a converted 14m free from Justin Clake, but this was scant reward, considering the amount of possession they had.

Mulgrew stretched Tyrone’s lead to five points in the 25th minute before Shealan Johnston found a way through the visitors’ brick wall defence to cut the lead to 1-4 to 0-3.

The willing Fullerton grabbed the last score of the first half when he converted a 14m free to leave Tyrone with a comfortable lead going into the break.

Down opened up brightly after the break and points from Kilcoo team-mates Clarke and Johnston reduced the arrears to three points, but James McCartan’s charges were then dealt a terrible blow in the 38th minute when Clarke was shown a second yellow and then red for his troubles.

Despite being down to 14 men, Down still won a lot of possession, but they just weren’t as direct as Tyrone and the highly impressive McGleenan handed his side a 1-6 to 0-5 lead after 39 minutes.

Downpatrick’s Tom Smyth registered Down’s sixth point before minor scores from Fullerton and Hayes gave Tyrone a 1-8 to 0-6 lead with less than 15 minutes remaining.

Johnston kept Down ticking over, but his effort was immediately cancelled out by Stephen Grogan.

A Johnston free in the 55th minute left four points between the sides, but a goal and a point from Fullerton proved to be Down’s death knell. Johnston and Ronan Duffin exchanged scores in the dying stages as Tyrone took the spoils in impressive style. 

Down: D Sheridan, D Fegan, L Toal, R Tumilty, L Brannigan, G Fitzpatrick, P McMullen, M Cunningham, A Morgan, S Campbell, J Clarke (0-2,1f), T Close (0-1), S Johnston (0-5, 4f), R Connolly, T Smyth (0-1). Subs: B Boyd for McMullen, J Govern for Tumilty, A Gilmore for Campbell, C McLoughlin for Close, P Quinn for Morgan.

Tyrone: M McGale, C Quinn, L McBride, L Kilpatrick, R Duffin (0-1), K Barker, O McHugh, T Quinn, M McGleenan (0-1), B Grogan, O Mulgrew (0-1), C McBride, D Fullerton (1-5,0-3f), M Hayes (1-1), T Mackle. Subs: C Devlin for L McBride, M Devlin for B Grogan, S Grogan (0-1) for Mackle, C Quinn for McHugh, P McCallan for C McBride.

Down 0-9

Tyrone 2-11

ULSTER MFC 2ND ROUND