Young Down side lift McGirk Cup

Young Down side lift McGirk Cup

16 January 2019

DOWN’S hurlers lifted the McGurk Cup at The Dub in Belfast on Saturday night after an entertaining and close showdown that went to the wire.

The university lads looked well beaten at one stage, but Simon Doherty’s charges hit back from being 1-13 to 0-8 down, minutes into the second half to hit back and draw level at 1-16 to 0-19 as the game entered the final stages.

However, it was Ronan Sheehan’s Down side who held their nerve and late, unanswered points from Paul Sheehan (free), PJ Davidson and Conor O’Prey were enough to quell the students’ gallant challenge.

Shea Shannon opened the scoring for the students with a point from play in the fifth minute, but a sensational goal from way out on the right hand sideline from Cormac Coulter and a point from Tom Murray had Down 1-1 to 0-1 to the good. 

However, UU responded with three points of their own from Oisin McManus and James O’Connell (0-2) to draw level by the 14th minute. 

The sides then exchanged points before scores from Coulter and two Sheehan frees handed Down a 1-8 to 0-5 lead after 24 minutes. McManus kept UU ticking over with another free, but points from Ronan Costello and Conor O’Prey extended Down’s lead to seven points with half-time on the horizon.

Sheehan and Conor Cunning swapped points as did Sheehan and McManus to send Down in at the break with a clear 1-12 to 0-8 lead.

Sheehan left eight points between the sides at the start of the second half with a converted free, but the students were not for throwing in the towel and points from McManus (0-2) and Kevin Rice brought UU to within four points of Down.

Sheehan pointed Down into a 1-14 to 0-12 lead after 45 minutes, but scores from Cunning, James O’Connell and Donal McKenna cut the arrears down to two points.

Sheehan gave Down a 1-15 to 0-15 lead after 47 minutes before he and McManus exchanged scores, but points from O’Connell, McManus and Cunning suddenly had the sides level at 1-16 to 0-19 with added time about to start.

Down, despite conceding those late scores, didn’t lose their nerve and points from Sheehan, Davidson and O’Prey sealed an extremely hard earned win.

Down: J Crowe, M Patterson, C Taggart, C Cassidy, R McCrickard, M Conlon, L Savage, T  Murray (0-1), PJ Davidson (0-1), P Sheehan (0-10, 8f), C O’Prey (0-4, 1f) C Coulter (1-2), R Costello (0-1), E Sands, T Prenter. Subs: C Coulter for Murray, J Murphy for Coulter. 

UU: R Elliott, A Orchin, T Burns, N Crossan, M Fisher, R McGarry, D McKernan (0-1f), C Hanna, S Shannon (0-2), K Rice (0-1), P McCallin (0-1), J O’Connell (0-4), O McManus 0-7, 5f, 1 65), C Cunning (0-3), D Sands. Subs: C McHugh for Sands, L Dunphy for McGarry, D Cartin for O’Connell, P Brannigan for Orchin.

Down 1-19

UU 0-19

McGURK CUP FINAL