Football

Down look to forward pair to do the damage against dogged Cavan

Down boss James McCartan congratulates Conor McCrickard after his 2-4 haul against Armagh
Down boss James McCartan congratulates Conor McCrickard after his 2-4 haul against Armagh Down boss James McCartan congratulates Conor McCrickard after his 2-4 haul against Armagh

Electric Ireland Ulster MFC quarter-final: Down v Cavan (today, 5pm, Athletic Grounds)

DOWN waited four years to register a win in the Ulster Minor Football Championship before toppling Armagh, and they hope to pick up their second victory in the space of a month when they take on Cavan this evening.

The Mournemen were the better team against the Orchardmen at an expectant Pairc Esler on June 4, yet almost contrived to pass up a long-awaited success in the dying minutes.

Having raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead within 11 minutes, Down allowed Armagh to creep back into the game before half-time.

And, despite resuming control after the break, needed an injury-time penalty save from goalkeeper Jack Hazard to secure their spot in the last four.

Yet James McCartan will have taken plenty of positives from that game.

Firstly, it ended a winless run in Ulster that stretched back to their defeat of Derry in 2013. Secondly, the performance of inside forwards Conor McCrickard and Liam Kerr was a joy to behold for all fans of the red and black.

Liatroim’s McCrickard bagged 1-4 in the first half as the Orchard was raided early on, before displaying his predatory instincts once again to pounce for another goal after the break.

Yet Kerr’s contribution may have been even more impressive, as the languid Burren man slung over some outrageous scores from play and placed balls to keep Down’s noses in front.

McCartan will be looking for both to carry the threat this evening, although he will have been concerned by the Mourne County’s occasional lapses in concentration. They can’t afford to switch off if they are to have any chance of progressing into an Ulster final showdown with the Oak Leafs.

Indeed, Cavan probably come into this game as slight favourites after overcoming Monaghan in the last eight.

A good start and a strong finish saw them past the Farneymen in the end, but there were stages when it looked as though the game might be getting away from them.

Cian Madden’s 54th minute goal - Cavan’s second of the day after James Smith struck in the opening 10 minutes - was the turning point as he fired the Breffnimen into a 3-13 to 1-14 lead late on.

That came after Monaghan had earlier reeled off eight points in-a-row, and Cavan boss John Brady admitted he was delighted with how his side dug in to get the win.

“We looked down and out at one stage of the game and we were able to come back and grind out the win – that was the most encouraging part for me. We showed real fight and resolve,” said the Ramor United clubman.

“There’s a hell of a spirit within them, they’ll never give up.”

Brady expects that fighting spirit will be required again at the Athletics Ground.

Cavan came up trumps against Down during the Ulster Minor League, winning by four points at the end of March, but he insists that will count for nothing today.

“League football and Championship football are two completely different things,” added Brady.

“The ground is a lot a harder now, lads have got faster. We saw them against Armagh, they were impressive that day - especially going forward - and defensively they get a lot of numbers back.

“It’s going to be a very tough game.”