Hard work for Down as Mayo men refuse to give way

Hard work for Down as Mayo men refuse to give way

12 March 2014

A STRANGE performance by Down, which saw them promise much in the opening minutes of both halves, but then lapse into periods where they lacked focus and concentration.

A quick start by Down saw Conor O’Neill win possession and shift to Caolan Bailie. He found Michael Turley who slotted confidently over the bar.

It was all Down in the first three minutes, but then Padraig O’Flynn lobbed a long range opener for Mayo.

Steven Dineen notched Down’s second point before Dineen went cross-field to Danny Toner, who laid off for O’Neill to shoot between the posts.

After eight minutes another strong run by Dineen, who found Bailie in space and he made no mistake.

Kenny Feeney pointed a 65 for the first of his eight point haul, but the gap was restored when Conor Woods pointed a magnificent free from right on the touchline and 50 yards from his own goal.

Mayo responded and Feeney was again accurate from another placed ball. Within 60 seconds another Mayo free and another Feeney point. Suddenly there was just one in it at Down 0-5 to Mayo 0-4.

Five minutes passed without a score before Brian Higgins scored Mayo’s second point from play. Danny Toner was dispossessed when looking threatening and when Mayo went up the field they created a goalscoring opening, the hasty Down clearance was picked up by Gary Nolan who put Mayo ahead.

Woods struck a free sweet and true to put Down ahead and then Sheehan shot wide when colleagues were better placed. A Mayo delivery into the goalmouth was deflected narrowly wide before Sheehan pointed for his first of the day.

Mayo’s Derek McDonnell was yellow carded for a double swing and Woods made no mistake from the halfway line. So, a mixed first half performance, but Down were ahead by 0-9 to 0-6.

Bailie made a great catch under strong pressure from the full back at the start of the second half before turning and shooting over. Sheehan found himself in space and he pointed from 35 yards.

Four minutes in and Fintan Conway pointed after Sheehan won possession in a mass scramble. Brett Nicholson made a determined run into the heart of the Mayo defence and Donal Hughes made no mistake from the flicked pass.

Five minutes in and four Down points saw them seven points ahead and they were expected them to push on. Was is the substitutions or Down lethargy, but between the 7th and 10th minutes Feeney added three points, two of them from frees?

After 42 minutes Donal Hughes collected Danny Toner’s pass and shot over before Feeney pointed another free. The immaculate Woods collected in space, steadied and pointed from distance.

Then another set of three Mayo points, Ciaran Charlton from wide on the left, Feeney from a free before Fergal Boland reduced the gap to just two, Down 0-15 Mayo 0-13.

Conor O’Prey found O’Neill who stretched the lead to three. Twenty minutes to go and all to play for, but it would be fifteen minutes before there was another score.

On 59 minutes Gary Nolan drove into the Down defence. He appeared to over carry, but when he went to ground a penalty was awarded. Up came Donal O’Brien from the Mayo goal, but Stephen Keith blocked his shot. Down partially cleared the

ball, but the referee saw an infringement.

Down players were incensed and the referee responded by bringing the ball to the middle of the 20 metre line. Nolan stepped forward again and Keith responded once more.

Woods converted a 65 for the final score of the game and to see Down home by four points.

Down: S. Keith, M. Conlon, P. Flynn, M. Hughes, B Nicholson, C. Woods (0-5), P. Hughes, D. Hughes (0-2), F. Conway (0-1), D. Toner, C. O’Neill (0-3), C. Bailie (0-2), S. Dineen (0-1), M. Turley(0-1), P. Sheehan (0-2). Subs: C. O’Prey for Dineen, C. Taggart for P. Hughes.

Mayo: D. O’Brien, A. Brennan, A. Connolly, D. Kenny, K. Kiely, P. O’Flynn, P. Barrett, G. Nolan (0-1), C. Charlton (0-1), B. Hunt, S. Hoban, F. Boland (0-1), K. Feeney (0-8), D. McDonnell, B. Higgins (0-1). Subs: S. Boland for Hoban, K. McDermott for F. Boland, C. Scahill for S. Boland.

Down 0-17

Mayo 0-13

NHL DIVISION 2B