Heart-stopping stuff as Down come good

Heart-stopping stuff as Down come good

13 February 2019

DOWN were forced to play their get out of jail card for the second game in a row at Pairc Esler on Saturday night.

Last Sunday in Sligo, Caolan Mooney came up with a goal in added time to save Down’s bacon and this week it was Kilcoo’s Jerome Johsnton who fired over a sublime injury time winner from a mark.

It was no more than a resolute Down deserved after losing Pat Havern to a red card in the 24th minute. Paddy Tally’s charges were facing down the barrel, but the 14 men fought tooth and nail to grind out a result and Johnston, a late substitute for Connaire Harrison, put the icing on the cake.  

Down started confidently enough and when Caolan Mooney carved out an opening for Ryan Johnston to register the game’s opening score in the first minute, hopes were high for an open, attacking game. 

However, it turned out to be a false dawn as Westmeath slowed the game down and prevented Down from getting a head of steam up and playing the game at pace.

A Ger Egan 21m free brought the sides level after seven minutes before a period of sterile football ended with Westmeath being awarded a penalty after Tommy McDaniels being fouled close in.

Thankfully, Castlewellan’s Rory Burns was up to the job and dived magnificently to his left to save Egan’s spot kick.

Westmeath did take the lead eight minutes later when midfielder Sam Duncan split the posts after good work from Denis Corroon in the engine room.

Down lost Saval’s Havern on the 24 minute mark after he tangled with Kieran Martin and Westmeath took full advantage, taking a 0-3 to 0-2 lead through James Dolan.  

Play opened up a little after this and Donal O’Hare converted a 25m free after Mooney had been fouled to bring the sides level. Boidu Sayeh bombed forward from defence to edge Westmeath back in front as half-time approached, but a trademark score from Kevin McKernan brought the scores level yet again.

It was the Midlanders who went in to the break with a narrow lead when Ronan O’Toole pointed from play to give his side a hard-earned 0-5 to 0-4 lead.

Down made three changes at the break, bringing on Harrison Conor McGrady and Conor Maginn for Paul Devlin, Stephen Fegan and Johnny Flynn and they had an instant impact with Ryan Johnston firing over the equalising score after only 30 seconds.

An Egan free in the 38th minute restored Westmeath’s lead, but Down were like a dog with a bone and steadfastly refused to give way with Ryan Johnston making it 0-6 apiece after excellent approach play from the experienced Maginn.

Midway through the second half Westmeath made their move to try and kill Down off with a series of power plays, but all they had to show for their concerted efforts were points from Luke Loughlin and Duncan.

Down sensed that Westmeath had shot their bolt and points from O’Hare and Conor Poland had the sides level by the 52nd minute. Both sides wasted chances before an Egan free handed the visitors a 0-9 to 0-8 lead after 63 minutes, but Down still had a sting in their tail.

It was heart-stopping stuff now, but O’Hare levelled matters in the 70th minute from a free before Johnston, who had only just been introduced, sent Down supporters home with a smile on their faces when he won a mark and then proceeded to convert a difficult scoring opportunity.

Down now get a chance to recharge their batteries before travelling to take on Longford at Pearse Park on Sunday, February 24.

Down: Rory Burns,Darren O’Hagan, Ruairi Wells, Gerard Collins,Stephen Fegan, Colm Flanagan, Johnny Flynn, Caolan Mooney, Conor Poland (0-1), Conor Francis, Paul Devlin, Kevin McKernan (0-1), Ryan Johnston (0-3), Pat Havern, Donal O’Hare (0-5, 0-4f). Subs: Daniel Guinness for Francis, Connaire Harrision for Devlin, Conor McGrady for Flynn, C Maginn for Fegan, Jerome Johnston (0-1m) for Harrison.

Westmeath: Eoin Carberry, James Dolan (0-1), Ronan Wallace, Boidu Sayeh (0-1), Noel Mulligan, Frank Boyle, Killian Daly, Denis Corroon, Sam Duncan (0-2), Jamie Gonoud, Kieran Martin, Ronan O’Toole (0-1), Luke Loughlin (0-1), Tommy McDaniels, Ger Egan (0-3f). Subs: Callum McCormack for McDaniels, Finbar Coyne for S Duncan, David Lynch for Boyle, Joe Halligan for Corroon.