RGU singing in the rain

RGU singing in the rain

22 August 2012

DOWNPATRICK completed the league double over Ballyholland at a wet and windy Pairc Ut Loingsigh on Friday night.

The early exchanges were evenly contested with Ballyholland’s Tony Haveron and the RGU’s Garret Trainor scoring points from play. Four further points from Havern, three from frees, and a Ronan Murtagh point then gave Ballyholland a 0-6 to 0-1 lead.

The visitors did themselves no favours at this stage of the game as they missed six 21m frees in succession.

Gerard Collins changed all that when he dashed forward from midfield and split the posts with a stunning point and a converted free from Trainor left RGU trailing 0-6to 0-3 at the break.

As the conditions worsened, with the rain pelting down RGU chairman Tom Trainor quipped that both teams would have been better doing synchronised swimming rather than playing football.

Kieran McAtee and Jarlath Branagan swapped points before Haveron extended Ballyholland’s lead to four points, but RGU acting manager Danny Carville, who was standing in for the unavailable Paul Evans and Gerard McStay, then made a tactical switch that was to transform the outcome of the match.

Full forward Trainor was switched to midfield in a bid to give the visitors fresh impetus and from that point it became a one-sides contest.

For the next 16 minutes the visitors produced a scintillating display of fast, open and attacking football to score 2-8 without reply.

Points from Trainor, Conor McGrady, Karl Oakes and Kevin Gracey put RGU a point ahead and when Damian Braniff produced the first goal of the game when he blasted the ball past Matthews, the visitors were well clear.

Further points from Branagan and Oakes put RGU six in front before a spectacular finish from county minor star McGrady, who gave the Ballyholland defence a torrid time, put the icing on the cake with a glorious finish.

Oakes and Murtagh swapped points in the dying stages, but Downpatrick were worthy winners and if they can keep this young side together, then there is no reason why a seventh SFC title could be heading to Pairc Tomas Ruiseil.

Ballyholland: R. Matthews, C. Barry, A. Haughey, K. McAteer, J. Barry, K. Dunne, D. Campbell, J. Patterson, D. McCrink, J. Haveron, A. McAteer, K. Murphy, R. White, R. Murtagh, D. McGovern.

Downpatrick: J. Deeny, C. Curran, A. Doherty, Declan Turley, C. MacNabb, Damian Turley, D. Braniff, K, Gracey, N. Cunningham, C. McGrady, G. Collins, J. Branagan, G. Trainor, K. Oakes. Subs used: J. Polly for MacNabb.

Ballyholland 0-9

Downpatrick 2-12

ACFL DIVISION 1