Grimley is Down’s midfield talisman

Grimley is Down’s midfield talisman

5 June 2013

DOWN displayed all the traditional traits of attacking football that have long been associated with Mourne football as they ousted Derry from the Ulster series.

The central axis of midfielder Tom Grimley and centre half forward Sean McGonigle was crucial to this victory.

Grimley lorded the middle third and his intelligent knock downs were pounced upon by McGonigle on numerous occasions as the powerful Carryduff attacker conducted affairs throughout.

With a sizeable home crowd cheering them on, Derry started at a brisk pace. Niall Loughlin and Stevie O’Hara put the homesters 0-2 to no score up after two minutes.

Despite their positive start, Richard Ferris’s lads succumbed to a sucker punch on five minutes.

Down’s Cory Quinn had himself a scoreable free kick chance. However, his attempt ped short into goalkeeper’s Ciaran McCloy’s grasp.

McCloy was hesitant in his clearance as Rostrevor’s Conor Doyle ghosted in and knocked the ball from his possession to the net.

It wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing goal, but it had the effect of dampening Derry’s bright opening.

With Down’s confidence growing they goaled again a minute later. Conor McGrady (inset) did the hard work before he slipped the ball to Donal McKeever who stuck the ball into the bottom left corner of McCloy’s net.

Eleven minutes in Cory Quinn glanced over to give Down a five point advantage.

It took a well taken point from Conor McGrady to bring the game back to life on 18 minutes. Derry hit back through a free from Loughlin before McGonigle set up McGrady for another well taken score.

McGrady then turned provider as he fed Conor Doyle who made no mistake to put the away team 2-4 to 0-3 ahead.

Loup’s Terence O’Brien brought the deficit back to two goals, but Cory Quinn’s second point of the afternoon put seven between the sides again.

Lavey’s Niall Toner was proving to be a handful as first he was denied

a three pointer by Niall Malone before he pointed on the stroke of half-time.

Down held a 2-5 to 0-5 interval lead and on the balance of play they looked to be the stronger team. The home team were quite wasteful and hit six first half wides.

The second half was evenly enough matched, but there was always the sense that Down could step it up a gear when required.

A frenetic start seen Derry outscore Down 0-3 to 0-2 in the opening five minutes. McGrady and McKeever got the scores with McGonigle involved in the build-up to both.

Cory Quinn and Sean McGonigle then edged Down seven clear. On 41 minutes Derry began a fightback. Loughlin and Tallon had themselves a double each to bring a kick of the ball between the entities.

Down remained composed and the classy Conor McGrady got his fourth and final score of the contest. Loughlin responded for Derry, but the killer blow then arrived when substitute Pat Havern evaded the Oak Leaf full back line and finished confidently to the net after being sent through by McGrady.

Another free from Loughlin proved scant consolation for Derry as Down comfortably saw themselves home.

• St. Paul’s club man Tom Grimley was the undoubted man of the match. He had a stranglehold on this game from the outset.

His high fielding ability coupled with his directness left him near unmarkable.

He drove forward with purpose and was successful with many of his long balls into the pacy full forward line.

He was literally head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch.

Down: R. Malone, R. Magee, K. Colgan, A. Fegan, D. McKeever (1-1), D. McCarthy, T. McInerney, T. Grimley, A. McClements, S. Dobbin, S. McGonigle (0-1), D. McAleenan, C. Doyle (1-1), C. McGrady (0-4), C. Quinn (0-3). Subs: P. Havern (1-0), P. O’Hagan, L. McGreevy.

Derry 0-14

Down 3-10

ULSTER MFC QUARTER-FINAL