Haughey magic is tonic for McGrath

Haughey magic is tonic for McGrath

6 June 2012

DOWN minors upstaged their hosts at Brewster Park, Enniskillen, with a resolute display to book their spot in the semi-finals of the MFC against Monaghan.

Pete McGrath’s side went into the game as outsiders, but they played with a great intensity and resolve to oust a fancied Fermanagh outfit, backboned by the MacRory Cup winning team from St. Michael’s, Enniskillen.

Down started in a hurry and Joe McDermott surged forward from his left half back position to point from play after only 30 seconds.

Both sides registered quite a few wides before the impressive Eddie Courtney levelled matters when he converted a 50m free. Paul Coalter then gave Fermanagh the lead in the eighth minute when he pointed from play, but this was the last time the home side were in front.

Jack Haughey, who had the goal at his mercy, pointed the sides level in the 16th minute and two minutes later Carryduff’s Donal McKeever gave Down a 0-3 to 0-2 lead, a lead they were not to relinquish.

Downpatrick’s Conor McGrady, who was seeing a lot of the ball, but whose shooting sat-nav wasn’t working, finally got his rewards when he lofted over a super score to send Down into the break with a 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

Eoin McManus opened the second half scoring for Fermanagh with a point from play in the first minute, but this was immediately cancelled out by a similar score from Down’s Sean McGonigle.

Rangy midfielder, Declan Doyle, a member of last year’s minor panel, then took the game by the scruff of the neck and two unanswered points in as many minutes handed his side a 0-7 to 0-3 lead after 37 minutes.

Courtney kept Fermanagh in touch with a point from play, but another sweeping Down move ended with the towering Tom Grimley pointing.

Fermanagh threw the game wide open when Thomas McCaffrey hit the jackpot when he found the back of the net after a Courtney strike came off the upright.

Courtney then brought the sides level with a brilliant point from play, but Down stepped up to the plate and Haughey combined with Grimley to point Down into a 0-9 to 1-5 lead with 15 minutes remaining.

Grimley, who gave the Fermanagh defence a torrid time, then played in Haughey and this time the Shamrocks livewire blasted the ball low and hard into the back of the net to give Down a 1-9 to 1-5 lead.

Coalter and Donnach McAleenan exchanged points before two points from Courtney left two points between the sides with three minutes remaining.

However, Down’s nerves were settled when Damian McKeown, who had just replaced Conal Gallagher, fisted over an insurance point in the first minute of added time.

Downpatrick’s Anthony Doherty was a colossus for Down at full back and received great support in defence from Donal McKeever and Joe McDermott.

Fermanagh: P. Sweeney, S. O’Hara, N. McMahon, C. Corrigan, P. Coalter (0-2), P. Leonard, M. Began, J. Allen, N. Shannon, L. Jones, E. Courtney (0-5), C. Murphy, C. Logan, S. Keenan, E. McManus (0-1). Subs: N. Carson for Logan, T. McCaffrey 1-0), for Jones, G. McManus for Allen.

Down: R. Burns, A. McDonald, A. Doherty, M. O’Hare, D. McKeever (0-1), R. Wells, J. McDermott (0-1), D. Doyle (0-2), D. McCarthy, C. Gallagher, S. McGonigle (0-1), R. McAlinden, J. Haughey (1-2), T. Grimley (0-1), C. McGrady (0-1). Subs: D. McAleenan (0-1) for McGrady, P. O’Hagen for McGonigle, D. McKeown (0-1) for Gallagher.

Fermanagh 1-8

Down 1-11

ULSTER MFC QUARTER-FINAL