Murdock helps Down to victory over Fermanagh

Murdock helps Down to victory over Fermanagh

15 May 2019

AN electrifying first half display enabled Down to get the better of Fermanagh in Brewster Park, Enniskillen, on Saturday evening.

Victory now sets up Down with a mouthwatering Ulster MFC quarter-final confrontation with Tyrone at Pairc Esler on Sunday — a suitable curtain-raiser for the Down v Armagh SFC clash.

Down went into the break with a commanding 1-8 to 0-3 lead, but they showed great composure and resilience to hold off a brave Fermanagh fightback, before emerging four point winners.

Burren’s Odhran Murdock converted an early free to settle the nerves before Conor Burns quickly brought the sides level in the third minute with a point from play.

Murdock, who was prominent alongside Peter McEvoy in the middle of the park, lofted over a fifth minute point to put Down back in the driving seat and three minutes later John McGovern stunned the hosts when he found the back of the Fermanagh net with an unerring finish.

Cian McLoughlin and Adam Crimmins tagged on points as Down stormed into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after only 11 minutes, but Rhys Campbell kept Fermanagh interested with his side’s second point.

Unanswered points from Murdock, Oran Cunningham and Sean Og McCusker eased the visitors into a 1-7 to 0-2 lead by the 26th minute and at this stage of the game, Fermanagh were on the ropes.

As the half drew to a close, Micheal Glynn and McCusker exchanged scores as Down went in with a 1-8 to 0-3 lead.

Fermanagh certainly tightened things up in the second half and this gave them the confidence to play a more expansive style.

Points from Aaron Jones and Glynn cut the arrears to six points within three minutes of the restart, but their comeback was halted by a good score from Down half forward Padraig Clancy.

The home side went for broke — they had to — and the tactic paid off with three consecutive scores from the prolific Glynn to leave four points between the sides, 1-9 to 0-8 midway through the second half.

Down had to dig deep, but they weren’t found wanting on this occasion and points from Josh Gray and Murdock extended the lead back out to six points with just less than 10 minutes remaining.

Fermanagh weren’t finished just yet and points from Aodhan Durnien, Conor Burns and Glynn left a kick of the ball in it, but as the home side sought the equaliser, McCusker stole away to loft over Down’s insurance score and secure a deserved Down 

win.

Fermanagh: Fergal Quinn, Rhys Campbell (0-1), Josh Horan, Aaron Jones (0-1), Fionan O’Brien, Oliver Hughes-Jordan, Diarmaid King, Conor Murphy, Conor Burns (0-2), Robbie McKenna, Micheal Glynn (0-6, 2f), Ronan McGovern, Enda McCabe, Conor Courtney, Eimhin Curry. Subs: Ronan McCaffrey for McGovern, Oisin Murphy for McCabe, Aodhan Durnien (0-1) for King (black card).  

Down: Odhran Furlong, Patrick McCarthy, Sean Donegan, Ronan Campbell, Ryan Magill, Josh Gray (0-1f), Damien 

McMullan, Peter McEvoy, Odhran Murdock (0-4, 3f), Sean Og McCusker (0-3), John McGovern (1-0), Padraig Clancy (0-1), 

Oran Cunningham (0-1), Adam Crimmins (0-1), Cian McLoughlin (0-1). Subs: C Rodgers for McLoughlin, N Sloan for Cunningham, J Murtagh for Crimmins.