Brave minor hurlers have all to do again

Brave minor hurlers have all to do again

11 July 2012

DOWN’S young hurlers came within a whisker of bridging an 18-year gap when they were held to a draw in a pulsating showdown at a miserably wet Casement Park on Sunday afternoon.

The sides now have it all to do again and the replay will take place at the same venue on Saturday as a curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland football qualifier between Antrim and Galway.

Antrim went into this final as clear favourites, despite Down beating them by a point in the Ulster League final back at the end of March, but somebody forgot to tell Fergus Coopers bravehearts.

The Saffrons signalled early intent and Niall McKenna split the posts with an accurate score from play after just 42 seconds.

Down refused to be intimidated and three minutes later Lorcan McMullan picked off Down’s first score with a point from play.

Points from McKenna and Jackson McGreevy eased Antrim into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after nine minutes, but Myles Nicholson kept Down in touch when he also point from play.

Ryan McCambridge and Nicholson swapped points before the latter, who was more than just an effective target man, brought the sides level yet again.

John McGoldrick, the man of the match, then put Antrim into a 0-5 to 0-4 lead after 23 minutes when he converted a monster of a free and suddenly things looked ominous for Down.

Antrim followed up this point from McGoldrick with a goal from McCambridge after Down goalkeeper, Sean Savage, had produced a sensational save to deny Gary Lennon a certain goal.

Down had it all to do, but they weren’t found wanting and Eoghan Sands started the fightback with a point from play in the 27th minute to leave three points in it.

Caolan Baillie then left two points in it at the break when he converted a 21m free after McMullan had been fouled going through by McGoldrick.

McGoldrick opened the scoring at the start of the second half with another free, but Baillie responded with a point for Down to leave them trailing 1-6 to 0-7 after 32 minutes.

Baillie, who had been relatively quiet up to this point, then came to life with a bang and he threw the cat among the pigeons when he swooped to drill the ball home after excellent approach play from Sands, Chris Egan and McMullan.

Baillie tagged on a point to give Down a 1-8 to 1-6 lead after 35 minutes and Sean Mageean, who had just replaced the talented Rory Burns, a rare member of an exclusive club of players to have represented Down minors at both football and hurling, extended Down’s lead to three points.

Two super frees from McGoldrick brought the difference to a point, but McMullan ended another electrifying run with a point to give Down a 1-10 to 1-8 lead with 15 minutes left to play.

Antrim gave their supporters something to cheer about in the 46th minute when a hopeful punt into the danger zone evaded Down full back James McGrath and ‘keeper savage and ended up in the back of the net as the Saffrons suddenly regained the lead.

Christy McNaughton pointed a 14m free to give Antrim a 2-9 to 1-10 lead, but Baillie left the minimum in it when he also converted a 21m free.

McGoldrick seemed to have strengthened Antrim’s grip on the title when he lofted over two inspirational scores to give his side a 2-11 to 1-11 lead with eight minutes left.

Tomas O’Ciaran made that lead four points with six minutes left, but Down were far from finished.

Baillie converted a free before the indomitable Chris

Egan burst his way through the Antrim defence and

beat Padraig Nugent with a brilliant daisy cutter to bring the sides level.

McMullan followed suit two minutes later and pointed Down into a 2-13 to 2-12 lead with time practically up, but Conor Johnson saved the day for Antrim when he pointed in injury time to send the game to a replay.

In the final analysis, a draw was the fair result.

Antrim: P. Nugent, D. McMullan,

R. Gillan, R. Diamond, M. Connolly, J. McGoldrick (0-6), P. Burke, T. O’Ciaran (0-1), J. McGreevy

(0-1), M. Bradley, Ciaran Johnson, N. McKenna (0-2), Conor John-

son (0-1), R. McCambridge (2-1)

G. Lennon. Subs: A. Orchin for Gillan, C. McNaughton (0-1) for R. Gillan,

Down: S. Savage, C. Costello, J. McGrath, C. Taggart, R. Brannigan, G. O’Neill, J. McManus, L. McMullan (0-3), C. Egan (1-0), R. Burns, C. O’Neill, C. Baillie (1-5), E. Sands (0-1), M. Nicholson (0-3), S. O’Callaghan. S. Mageean (0-1) for Burns, B. Byers for O’Callaghan, G. Lynch for C. O’Neill.

Antrim 2-13

Down 2-13

MHC FINAL