SCHOOL EDITION 29 MAY 2024 - Flipbook - Page 31
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ULSTER SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
SPORT
WEDNESDAY APRIL 26 2023
www.irishnews.com
NOT A KERR 6
6
IN THE WORLD 6.5
31
DONEGALRATINGS
SHAUN PATTON Dealt with some dangerous high
balls but Down got some joy in going at his kick-outs.
The renowned accuracy of his kicking from his own
goal was not matched at the other end, missing a ’45’ and
sending a free against an upright.
MARK CURRAN The Dungloe man was up against
a fellow debutant in Eugene Branagan and put in a
steady enough display, with his man only scoring one
point – but Andrew Gilmore posed more problems.
BRENDAN McCOLE Gave Pat Havern little
room in open play but wasn’t about to close
down space for Kerr’s goal, then fouled Ryan
Johnston for the penalty.
6.5
CAOLAN WARD Scored a point to put Donegal
three up but was then quickly involved in
the confusion that led to that lead being
cancelled out by Down’s rst goal. Got a good block in to
deny Daniel Guinness a goal.
6
6
6
6.5
5.5
CAOLAN McCOLGAN Couldn’t keep up with Liam Kerr
for his goal – although few could – and shot a wide,
before being blocked down by his opposite number
Danny Magill.
STEPHEN McMENAMIN Put in a big hit on Miceal
Rooney to force a turnover but failed to secure the
centre of the Donegal defence sufciently and was
taken off late on.
EOGHAN BAN GALLAGHER The captain started out
as sweeper but lost track of Kerr for the Down goal, a
game-turning score. Made some contributions going
forward, but far from his best.
HUGH McFADDEN
(RIGHT) Dropped
deeper into a more
familiar role than he’d played in the
league, but didn’t protect his defence
from Down’s runners. Pushed up to
full-forward before being replaced with
a third of the game to go.
MAKING A POINT Liam Kerr (left) celebrates
scoring Down’s rst goal at Páirc Esler
Picture: Philip Walsh
MATCH ANALYSIS
KEY BATTLE
UP AGAINST IT Down’s Ceilum Doherty and Donegal’s Conor O’Donnell and Ciaran
Thompson
Picture: Philip Walsh
Donegal’s arrived three minutes in
when a quick break saw Michael
Langan punt forward towards Jason
McGee. When Niall McParland and
Anthony Doherty couldn’t decide
who was going to take charge of the
situation, McGee burst clear and
slotted beyond Niall Kane.
Down’s in the 20th minute was a
consequence of similar defensive
calamity, this time Liam Kerr eating
up yards of green grass after Caolan
Ward and Eoghan Ban Gallagher
bottled up Eugene Branagan but
forget about the ball, leaving Kerr to
lash past Shaun Patton.
That brought the Mournemen level
and, with injury forcing Langan from
the eld just after the quarter hour
mark, the pendulum was starting to
swing ever so slightly in their favour.
And when Johnston was felled for
a second half penalty, the home
support really started to believe.
Ceilum Doherty’s burst was the
catalyst, Shane Annett with the inch
perfect pass into Johnston’s chest,
the Kilcoo yer running across
Brendan McCole to draw the foul.
Referee Brendan Cawley had no
hesitation, Havern cool as you like
to send Patton the wrong way and
Down had daylight, 2-7 to 1-4.
There was a kick in Donegal yet
though.
They rattled off three without reply
as Down found themselves struggling
for a foothold. McGee had a chance
to crank the pressure up further
but sent two efforts wide, while
Kane was in the right spot to stop a
sted effort from O’Donnell’s lofted
ball in added time. But desperation
had crept into Donegal, the goal
they so needed proving elusive as
the Mournemen pushed for home,
leaving Tir Chonaill to limp on
towards the All-Ireland series in a
year that goes from bad to worse.
Down haven’t had too many days
like this in recent years, and hopes
of rubbing shoulders with the big
boys are kept alive for another week.
The physical toll taken makes the
task of toppling on-song Armagh all
the more great - but Laverty’s men
are set up to make life difcult for
anyone.
Now that would be a real underdog
story.
CAOLAN McGONAGLE Well involved in the
rst half and denied a goal by Niall McParland
sliding in, before having another shot blocked.
Daniel Guinness (Down)
v Daire Ó Baoill (Donegal)
TWO terric performances, and
both might have been even better
had they not been up against
each other. Guinness starting his
rst inter-county match in a year
was impressive enough, but for
the Carryduff man to nish it, and
nish it as a contender for ‘Star
Man’, was incredible. He scored
two second half points and might
have had a goal, all the while
trying to contain the talented
Gweedore man. O’Baoill was the
best of the Donegal attackers,
although Jason McGee’s aerial
threat was signicant, and the
25-year-old scored three points
from play – but lacked the support
to deny Down.
REF WATCH
Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
THERE were few contentious
incidents, with Cawley keeping
competent control of matters,
but the most controversial could
certainly be construed as ‘gamechanging’. Donegal reckoned their
substitute Oisin Gallen was fouled
just outside the Down 20-metre
line, and a converted free would
have levelled matters at 2-9 to
1-12 in the 65th minute. Instead,
the hosts were allowed to counterattack and were themselves
awarded a soft-looking free for a
challenge on Pat Havern, which
Andrew Gilmore pointed. Donegal
did not score again, Down added
three more, and won well in the
end.
TOP SCORE
LIAM Kerr’s goal for Down was of
huge importance in the overall
context of this match but probably
the best constructed score was
a point made in Kilcoo, created
by Ceilum Doherty and nished
off by his cousin Ryan Johnston.
The number 10 won a free in the
10th minute and took it quickly,
launching a lovely kick-pass to the
Down centre half-forward. Ryan got
out in front of his man and turned
to slot a sweet left-footed score.
JUST SEVENTEEN
BOTH panels included a high
number of players yet to make
their senior Championship debut
– 17 apiece. Burren’s Danny
Magill (son of 1994 All-Ireland
Final winner Miceal) was the
youngest of the Down newcomers,
aged 21, while Shane Annett
of Mayobridge is 23, with the
Kilcoo duo of Miceal Rooney and
Eugene Branagan aged 25 and
26 respectively, and Warrenpoint’s
Donach McAleenan is 27.
Dungloe defender Mark Curran,
who is 23, was the only starting
debutant for Donegal, although
Luke McGlynn, Kieran Tobin, Rory
O’Donnell, and Kane Barrett all
came off the bench to make their
senior bows.
7
7
6.5
DAIRE Ó BAOILL A lively display
from the Gweedore man, always looking to create, and
he managed three points from play – but also was
guilty of a couple of wides.
MICHAEL LANGAN Delivered the kick-pass for the
opening goal but pulled up with a hamstring injury at
the end of the rst quarter.
CIARAN THOMPSON A slow start, including a
wide, but took a good catch at mideld and
converted two placed balls – although he also
missed a free which would have left just as point between
the teams.
6
7.5
JAMIE BRENNAN Working in a withdrawn role, had a
shot blocked but despite plenty of endeavour he failed
to score and posed little threat to the Down defence.
JASON McGEE Netted the opening goal
brilliantly but was then forced to move back
to mideld after Langan went off. One bad
miss after a run through the Down defence and could have
completed a hat-trick but two late efforts on goal were kept
out.
6.5
CONOR O’DONNELL Had a good goal chance
late in rst half, denied by a parrying save
from Kane. Got Donegal going again with his
only point, in the 48th minute, and was involved in their last
two scores.
SUBSTITUTES
6
LUKE McGLYNN On at the end of the rst quarter for
the injured Langan. Initially went in at full-forward, with
McGee going deeper, but made little impact. Had more
involvement on the ball out on the left wing.
7
OISIN GALLEN Named to start but only came on for the
nal third, replacing McFadden. Made a strong impact,
scoring, assisting, earning one free, and denied what looked
like another one.
6
KIERAN TOBIN Sent on for Ward in the 50th minute,
played a more advanced role on the left, and did a
decent job.
RORY O’DONNELL Not on long enough to be rated.
KANE BARRETT Not on long enough to be rated.
n By Kenny Archer
COMPILED BY KENNY ARCHER