Down stage thrilling comeback

Down stage thrilling comeback

5 February 2025

DOWN kick-started their National Football League Division 2 season after launching a monumental comeback to snatch victory from under the noses of Cork at Páirc Esler on Sunday.

The Mourne Men were unsuccessful in their first outing of the campaign, having finished seven points adrift of Roscommon, and once again found themselves in the clutches of defeat as they trailed the Rebels by 10 after 25 minutes.

At that point, not many would have been questioning who the winners would be, but rather, how many points the visitors would win by.

However, despite being written off at the half-way point, Down took it upon themselves to throw a spanner in the works and rewrite the story completely, reducing the deficit to seven at the break. 

Conor Laverty’s side turned the match on its head, entering added time with a one-point lead, and completed their heist when Cork’s Brian O’Driscoll put the final chance of the afternoon wide.

The away side started the game on fire, opening the scoring with a fantastic two-pointer from Rory Maguire in the fourth minute.

Odhrán Murdock cut the lead in half and although the Rebels fired five attempts wide, they stormed in front when Chris Óg Jones met a pass from Paul Walsh and smashed the ball into the net.

Oisín Savage converted his free to pull one back for the hosts, but a couple of Mark Cronin two-pointers gave Cork a seven-point buffer after 17 minutes.

Eoghan McSweeney’s point was supported by Sean McDonnell’s effort, the fifth Cork two-pointer of the match, increasing the margin to 10 points.

Down burst into life in the closing stages of the first half, cutting the lead to seven thanks to three unanswered points.

The interval was unable to put a road block through the hosts’ momentum as they resumed their fine spell from the first period.

Two-pointers landed for James Guinness and Pat Havern, ramping up the pressure on Cork and chopping the deficit down to just three points.

Cronin fired over to settle the visitors, but that could not stop the desire in Down’s attack.

Laverty’s men hit two more unanswered points, before Havern showed his class to draw level with yet another two-point score.

Down had fought back, but their work was not done and they knew their opponents could find another gear at any moment. 

Cork fired back and restored their lead with a McDonnell goal and two points courtesy of Cronin, but Down responded with a point and an unstoppable goal from Danny Magill.

John Cleary’s men held a one-point lead as they entered the final minutes and although they thought they had escaped when Ryan McEvoy hit the post, a Havern two-pointer put Down on top going into stoppage time.

The home side’s incredible turnaround was almost complete, but came under threat when Cork were awarded a free at the death.

O’Driscoll would have snatched the win if he converted his two-point attempt, but thankfully, his effort sailed wide and Down were victorious.

Down will now hope to make it two wins on the spin when they welcome Meath to Páirc Esler on Sunday, February 15.

Throw-in is scheduled for 6pm.

Down: R Burns, P Fegan, R McEvoy, P McCarthy, G McKibbin, P Laverty, C Mooney, D Guinness,  O Murdock, C Doherty, J Guinness, D Magill, O Savage, P Havern, R Magill.

Subs: C McCrickard, E Branagan, A McClements, M Rooney.

Cork: P Doyle, M Shanley, D O’Mahony, N Lordan, B O’Driscoll, R Maguire, M Tailliur, S Walsh, C O’Callaghan, P Walsh, S Poster, E McSweeney, M Cronin, C Óg Jones, S McDonnell.

Subs: T Walsh, C O’Mahony, C Maguire, D Cashman.