Hurlers to face Antrim in last four

Hurlers to face Antrim in last four

11 May 2016

DOWN saw off Roscommon at Ballycran on Saturday to secure a mouth-watering Christy Ring Cup semi-final showdown with Antrim on May 21.

What a day that should be for Down manager Michael Johnston as his two sons, Conor and Ciaran ,play for the Saffrons and both are expected to overcome injuries to be available for the clash that has become even more personal than ever.

The game stared slowly on a sodden McKenna Park pitch with both sides firing blanks before Roscommon’s Jerry Fallon and Down’s Oisin McManus exchanged scores. These scores lit the blue touch paper and it was hell for leather after this with no quarter asked or given.

Conor Mageean edged Down ahead after 11 minutes, but Thomas Fetherson quickly brought the sides level again.

The remainder of the half followed a similar pattern with Conor O’Prey swapping scores with Fallon and Lawlor as Roscommon took a 0-5 to 0-4 lead after 23 minutes.

Points from Donal Hughes and Brook Byers gave Down the lead, but only temporarily as Eamon Flanagan brought the sides level again at 0-6 apiece.

The last point of the half came from Scott Nicholson, brought on as a blood sub for Aaron O’Prey before replacing McManus at half-time.

Nicholson had an immediate impact and the switching of Danny Toner from midfield to full forward was an inspired one as Down took the initiative.

Points from Byers, Nicholson, Chris Egan, Conor Mageean and Conor O’Prey had Down in the ascendancy with Roscommon relying on a Naos Connaughton goal and a solitary point from Flanagan to keep them interested.

However, that interest waned when Toner pounced on a loose ball in added time to put the gloss on a fine Down victory.

Manager Johnston was more than happy with the result and the draw which pairs him against his two sons.

“It’ll be some craic at the dinner table,” he said. “It’s brilliant, great for Ulster hurling. You’d love to see a big crowd at that game and really promote it well.

“We kept Roscommon guessing. One of our plans was to move their full back line and it worked for us all right. We had a fair idea of how Roscommon would set themselves. I’d managed against them before and knew what way they were going and it wa fairly route one hurling.”

Down: S Keith, S Ennis, P Flynn, J McManus, J McGrath, C Taggart, F Conway, D Toner (1-0), C Woods (0-1f), C Mageean (0-2), D Hughes (0-1), A O’Prey, B Byers (0-2), C O’Prey (0-4), O McManus (0-1). Subs: S Nicholson (0-2) for McManus, C Egan (0-1) for Byers, C O’Neill for C O’Prey, J Doran for Hughes.

Roscommon: N Fallon, I Delaney, P Kellehan, L Kilcline, A Moore, M Kelly, S Curley, E Flanagan (0-2), C Dolan, T Seale, T Fetherson (0-1), J Fallon (0-2), C Egan, J Lawlor (0-2), A Murphy. Subs: G Keenan for Seale, C Mulry for Murphy, N Connaughton (1-0) for Fallon, H Rooney for Egan. 

Down 1-14

Roscommon 1-7

CHRISTY RING CUP