Down’s new kids on the block in cup final glory

19 June 2019

FITTINGLY, Down are the inaugural winners of the Leo Murphy Cup after impressively taking care of business against a good Cavan offering at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh, on Saturday afternoon.

Named in memory of the former Down full back, from Kilkeel, who won back-to-back All-Ireland medals in 1960 and ‘61, this Ulster Development League initiative, has been a huge success for Down, having gone though the competition unbeaten.

Cavan were expected to provide stiff opposition to Conor Deegan’s blossoming side, but they were swept aside by a confident and talented Mourne outfit.

Seamus Loughran opened the scoring for Down with a converted free in the first minute, but this was quickly negated by Cavan point from play from Patrick Lynch.

Down then hit a purple patch and unanswered scores from the rampaging Declan McClements, Liam Kerr (0-3), Conor McCrickard and Conor Clarke eased them into a comfortable 0-7 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes.

Cavan responded with scores from Cian Madden, Lynch and Oisin Brady to leave three points in it with 18 minutes gone, but Down were not to be denied and Kerr cut his way past several defenders before being fouled and earning a penalty.

The Burren hit man dusted himself down and drilled the spot kick low and hard past the ‘keeper to give Down a 1-7 to 0-4 lead after 21 minutes on non-stop action.

Loughinisland’s McClements finished the first half scoring when he notched up his second point of the game to send Down in at the break with a commanding seven-point lead, 1-8 to 0-4.

Ruairi McCormack made it an eight point game at the start of the second half as Down hammered home their superiority.

Lynch and Conor McCrickard and swapped points before a battling Cavan outfit plundered the next two scores through Madden and Lynch, but they had no time to bask in any glory as Cathal Gorman replied with a super point for Down to make it 1-11 to 0-7.

Two more points from the hard-working Lynch and another from Madden left only four points between the sides with 10 minutes left.

However, Cavan’s fightback was halted in its tracks by Down as the reliable Loughran converted a free to give his side a 1-12 to 0-10.

Yet another Lynch free kept Cavan within touching distance, but it was Down who finished the stronger and points from Loughran, a majestic score from a sideline ball, and the energetic Kerr sealed a deserved victory that sets Down up for their Ulster Championship preliminary round clash with Antrim in Clones on Sunday.

Down: Jack Hazard, Peter Fegan, Ruairi McCrickard, Ardan McAvoy, John McGeogh, Conor Clarke (0-1), Shane Annett, Ross Carr, Liam Middleton, Cathal Gorman (0-1), Declan McClements (0-2), Ruairi McCormack (0-1), Conor McCrickard (0-2), Liam Kerr (1-4, 1pen, 2f), Seamus Loughran (0-3, 2f). Subs: Aaron Devlin for Conor McCrickard, Brendan Gallen for Annett, Dean Rice for Middleton, Ryan McEvoy for Ruairi McCrickard, Eoghan Byrne for Gorman.

Cavan: Gary O’Rourke, John Cooke, Patrick Meade, Danny Cusack, Oisin Brady (0-1), Oisin Kiernan, Ben Smith, Ronan Patterson, Luke Molloy, Karl Cosgrove, Cian Madden (0-3, 1f), Philip Rogers, Cormac O’Reilly, Patrick Lynch (0-7, 2f), Tiarnan Reilly. Subs: Michael Muldoon for Cosgrove, Darragh Dolan for Rogers, Philip Nulty for Kernan, Gareth Mannion for Dolan, Cormac Timoney for Reilly.

Down 1-14

Cavan 0-11

LEO MURPHY CUP FINAL

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder