SCHOOL EDITION 29 MAY 2024 - Flipbook - Page 30
30
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DOWNRATINGS
7.5
NIALL KANE Kick-outs had to be on point and
they generally were. Might have done better with
Donegal goal but made good save to deny Conor
O’Donnell in the rst half, and did well to block McGee’s late
sted effort.
7.5
7
7
PIERCE LAVERTY Kept Brennan scoreless, making
a brilliant rst half block on the Bundoran man. In
the right place at the right time to collect the ball
when Patton’s late free dropped down off the upright.
ANTHONY DOHERTY Confusion with McParland let McGee
in for Donegal goal, but recovered well.
NIALL McPARLAND Operated as sweeper and, aside from
the confusion with Doherty that led to Donegal’s goal,
was key in closing up the central channel. Made a crucial
intervention when McGonagle had the goal at his mercy in the
rst half.
6.5
8
6.5
8
MICEAL ROONEY Worked like a Trojan but a bit
rash at times, charged into Gallen late on when
didn’t need to – Thompson sent the free wide to
get him off the hook.
DANIEL GUINNESS Superb in rst game since last May’s
Tailteann Cup defeat to Cavan. Looked surprised to nd
himself with a goal chance early in second half – saw that
one saved by Patton but curled over classy score minutes later,
added another late on.
7
6.5
RYAN McEVOY In absence of Odhran Murdock, moved
out from regular full-back slot and broke even around the
middle. Won kick-out in run up to Kerr’s goal. Disciplined
display.
DONAGH McALEENAN Used the ball well and
worked back diligently.
RYAN JOHNSTON See STAR MAN
CEILUM DOHERTY Quick thinking from free to nd Kilcoo
club-mate Johnston for rst half score, injection of pace
led to forward burst that saw Johnston fouled for Down’s
second half penalty.
PAT HAVERN Roamed out to offer a bit of height around
the middle, made a solid contribution all over, unerring in
stroking home penalty. Over-hit a pass late on when Down
were crying out for composure.
LIAM KERR Had a good battle with Ward. Always a threat
when found space and made no mistake as he skipped
between Ward and Gallagher for rst half goal.
EUGENE BRANAGAN Only second ever start for the county,
rst in Championship, and asked to lead the line as Down
retreated and looked to counter. Mixed bag for the Kilcoo
man, still nding his feet at this level, scored nice second half
point.
SUBSTITUTES
6
6.5
6
CONOR FRANCIS Gave away possession a few times as
Down tried to close game out.
ANDREW GILMORE Good option off the bench. Coolly
converted a late free and a score.
SHEALAN JOHNSTON Replaced brother Ryan, shot blocked
after burst forward but Gilmore picked up the scraps to
convert.
6
CONOR POLAND Fisted over late score from narrow angle.
GERARD COLLINS Not on long enough to be rated.
STAR MAN
8.5
RYAN JONHSTON In a game of ne margins,
chose moments to unleash pace and was
devastating when doing so. Showed cuteness with
rst score of the day, won and converted two marks either side of
half-time, and blistering burst drew foul from McCole that led to
Down’s penalty.
COMPILED BY NEIL LOUGHRAN
sportsdesk@irishnews.com
ULSTER SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Quarter-nal Down 2-13 Donegal 1-11
Burren man
points the way
as Down set up
Orchard clash
NEILLOUGHRAN
SHANE ANNET Solid until replaced in the second
half. Played pass into Johnston that led to the
Kilcoo man winning Down’s penalty.
DANNY MAGILL Another week, another red-haired
Championship debutant makes a name for himself. May
not have scored a last-gasp goal but ran himself to a
standstill, made three brilliant blocks – including one to divert
a McColgan shot that looked bound for the net - and always an
outlet on the counter.
8
7
7
6
SPORT
WEDNESDAY APRIL 26 2023
AT PÁIRC ESLER
W
HEN the legs
started to wilt, it
was the heart that
saw Down into a
mouth-watering
Ulster semi-nal showdown with
neighbours Armagh on Sunday.
The Mournemen stumbled,
recovered and eventually took
control before Donegal nally
sounded the emergency alert.
When substitute Oisin Gallen
curled over to cut the gap to a
point with six minutes to play,
Down looked to have little left.
Having been ahead by ve when
Pat Havern coolly slotted home
a 45th-minute penalty, this was
a serious test of mettle, the
temperature suddenly soaring
inside Pairc Esler.
It would have been easy for
whatever energy they had left to
exit there and then, to succumb
after a valiant effort, to pack up
and head into the Tailteann Cup
off the back of a decent League
and a spirited Championship
showing.
It’s early days still under Conor
Laverty, after all, and failure
to escape Division Three –
even if promotion was only
missed due to head-to-head
results – tempered early-season
expectation inexplicably built
on the back of the Dr McKenna
Cup.
But, as this work-in-progress
showed with some gutsy
nishes during the spring,
there’s something a bit different
about this Down side. Where
heads might have dropped
in days gone by, they gritted
their teeth, stayed steady and
managed the nal minutes
superbly.
There were a few stray balls
but no sense of panic, no major
rushes of blood. Instead the
Mournemen sat back, kept their
shape and made it difcult for
Donegal to get their shooters on
the ball.
That led to a series of pot
shots as the Tir Chonaill ran
MATCH STATS
Down N Kane; P Laverty, A Doherty;
N McParland; S Annett, D Magill (0-1),
M Rooney; D Guinness (0-2), R McEvoy,
D McAleenan; R Johnston (0-3, 0-2
marks), C Doherty, L Kerr (1-0); P Havern
(1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-3 frees), E Brannigan
(0-1)
Subs C Francis for Annett (50), A Gilmore
(0-2, 0-1 free) for Branagan (54),
S Johnston for R Johnston (60), C Poland
(0-1) for McParland (66), G Collins for
McAleenan (70+1)
Donegal S Patton (0-1, 45); M Curran,
B McCole; E Ban Gallagher; C Ward (0-1),
C McColgan, S McMenamin;
C McGonagle, H McFadden; D O Baoill
(0-3), M Langan, C Thompson (0-2,
frees); J Brennan, J McGee (1-1),
C O’Donnell (0-2)
Subs L McGlynn for Langan (16),
O Gallen (0-1) for McFadden (47),
K Tobin for Ward (49), R O’Donnell for
McMenamin (65), K Barrett for McGlynn
(70+1)
Yellow card S McMenamin (64)
Referee B Cawley (Kildare)
Attendance 9139
out of ideas down the stretch.
In such critical moments, how
they were crying out for the
deadly accuracy of a Patrick
McBrearty or, standing nearby
in a suit, kicking every ball, the
talismanic Michael Murphy.
And when Down broke, it was
with purpose - Havern, Daniel
Guinness and substitutes Conor
Poland and Andrew Gilmore
nishing the job in style to
complete what some considered
an ambush, even if it didn’t
quite feel that way.
Indeed, the script had become
so skewed in recent weeks that
it was difcult to discern who
was expected to win the closer
it got to game day. Even when
one-sided victories for Armagh,
over third tier Antrim then
Cavan, either side of Derry’s
dismantling of Fermanagh,
showed the chasm in class, it
did little to quieten swelling talk
of a possible upset in Newry.
This was dangerous territory for
the Mournemen, and they knew
it. Down wanted it to be David
versus Goliath but, as chaos
gripped Donegal on and off the
eld, so the odds continued to
narrow.
The loss of teenage sensation
Odhran Murdock - Down’s best
player through the League, held
in reserve for Wednesday’s
Ulster U20 nal against Derry
- could have knocked the wind
from their sails, but Laverty
shufed his pack and found a
way to make it work.
Kilcoo club-mate Ryan McEvoy
went out to mideld, while Ryan
Johnston was like the artful
dodger as he ghosted into space
when there was none, nishing
up with three points – two from
marks – and winning the crucial
second half penalty before being
replaced by younger brother
Shealan.
Daniel Guinness hadn’t played
a minute all year, only joining
the panel in recent weeks as he
came back from a hip injury,
and showed exactly what Down
have been missing. That the
Carryduff man lasted the full 70plus minutes is testament to his
tness, with his driving runs key
in unsettling Donegal.
And what a Championhip
debut for Danny Magill. Son of
1994 All-Ireland winner Miceal,
Magill played as though his
life depended on it – throwing
himself at Donegal boots all day,
then somehow summoning the
composure to look up and play
when it mattered. The 22-yearold’s doggedness epitomised
the Down effort.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the
opening 35 quickly evolved into
a staring competition as the
stand went largely silent – the
main talking point, indeed the
main noise, a plane ying above
the ground bearing a message
about Down secretary Sean Og
McAteer.
Back on earth, Down and
Donegal remained terried of
making a mistake – that fear
perhaps justied given how the
two rst half goals came about.
Down board hits out at plane stunt
D
OWN GAA last night hit out at
whoever was behind the ying of
a plane at Páirc Esler yesterday.
The plane (right) – which bore a
message about county secretary Sean
Og McAteer – could be seen during
the rst half, with pictures of the
banner being circulated on social
media shortly after.
In a statement, the county board
said: “We hope that all spectators
who attended today’s Ulster Senior
Football Championship quarter-nal
in Newry enjoyed their afternoon.
We congratulate our team and
management, and we look forward to
the semi-nal next weekend and the
U20 nal on Wednesday.
“We regret that the vindictive actions
of an individual, who arranged for a
banner to be own above the ground
during the rst half of the senior
game, was an attempt to tarnish the
occasion.
“It is clear to everyone that this was
the action of someone who could not
be regarded as a true supporter of
Down and the GAA.
“We value the Trojan work and
dedication of county secretary Sean
Óg McAteer and all of our ofcers and
volunteers, and we would encourage
the individual behind this stunt to put
their time and resources to better
use.”