Down’s Super scores and super saves – 2010 to 2019
Brendan McVeigh is arguably Down’s greatest goalkeeping custodian. True, the big An Riocht man didn’t win an All-Ireland winners’ medal but he is the only Down goalkeeper to make it onto the GAA All-Star team, back in 2010.
McVeigh had put 11 years of his life on the goal-line for Down before he lay down his gloves for the last time in 2014.
And since he walked away Down have gone through more than three times the amount of shot-stoppers in half the time McVeigh held his number one spot, which suggests what a phenomenal keeper the An Riocht man was.
Since then Burren’s Cathal Murdock (2012), Clann na Banna’s Michael McAllister (2011), Shane Harrison (2014), the brother of star forward Connaire, from Glasdrumman, Kilcoo brothers Stephen and Niall Kane (2017/18), Michael Cunningham (2013/17) and Byranfrord’s Marc Reid (2017/19) have all wore the Down keeper jersey in the National League or Championship under manager’s Jim McCorry and the late Eamonn Burns.
Castlewellan forward Rory Burns has been Paddy Tally’s choice between the posts, replacing Reid, and at the start of this season, Glenn’s 2019 Intermediate Club championship winning goalkeeper has been also brought in to challenge for the goal.
However, one of the most memorable saves over the period does not come from one of the many goalkeepers but from midfielder Kalum King back at the start of the decade.
Down’s Save of the Decade
Down were seconds away from qualifying for the first All-Ireland Final since 1994, the game was in the fourth minute of four additional minutes, when referee Pat McEnaney awarded Kildare a free from 30-metres out.
Played in Croke Park, James McCartan’s men were leading by two points (Down 1-16 Kildare 1-14) and the Lilywhites were forced to go for goal. Robert Kelly was chosen to take the free and his rocketed shot almost crept in but big King rose to get his fingers onto the ball and forced it to crash off the crossbar. And still he had more to do, as then the Bryansford player was quickest off his goal-line to lash at the loose ball and clear the danger, which was greeted by the final whistle and joyous scenes from the red and black players and supporters.
Benny Coulter v Kildare (2010)
Benny Coulter went surging forward from his own half, he kicked 20-metres ahead into the chest of Dundrum’s Paul McComiskey, who tried to take his marker on but couldn’t get by before playing back to the incoming Coulter.
The Mayobridge talisman then sold a dummy with his right foot before cheekily chipping a beautiful and audacious pass to King, who immediately returned the pass. And from 35 metres out and with the outside of his left boot, Coulter lofted his shot between the posts at the Nally End of Croke Park. It was one of the scores of the 2010 season. It was a sensational point from Benny and a piece of individual magic that surely secured his place on the All-Star team that year. It was the last point of the first half, which gave Down a commanding 1-09 to 0-07 lead over Kildare.
Aidan Carr v Offaly (2010)
It was earlier this year, when I was at the Down v Offaly National League game, when I got thinking about the last time I was in Tullamore.
And it was in 2010, in round four of the All-Ireland Qualifiers. A place in the All-Ireland Final wasn’t even being spoken about and at half-time didn’t look at all likely because Down were trailing by three points.
It was a bit of a shock because only two season’s pervious the Mourne men had hammered their opponents by 18 points in the Championship.
Down, who were out of sorts needed something special and like it often does, it came in the form of a goal, only three minutes into the second half. Mark Poland played a neat pass into Aidan Carr and from distance, he let fly with a pile-driver of a shot into the net, giving goalkeeper Alan Mulhall no chance.
It was a cracking goal and inspired a complete sea change of attitude and performance in the team, where points from Marty Clarke, Poland and substitute Danny Hughes, sealed a 1-12 to 1-10 victory and launched their march towards Croke Park.
Caolan Mooney v Sligo (2019)
It was Round Three of the Allianz National Football League, Down had already lost to Laois on the opening weekend of the competition and while new manager Paddy Tally had brought and increased level of optimism, albeit from an already low base, Down desperately needed that first win.
Sligo brought Down out to Connolly Park in Collooney, which is no Markievicz Park and on a rank, wet and heavy pitch, the Mourne men looked to be facing the long journey home, soaked to the bone and still searching their first League win of the season.
With normal time up, Down trailed the Yeatsmen 0-12 to 1-10 and they had fluffed their chances of a late equaliser.
However, on 71 minutes captain Darren O’Hagan pressed high up the pitch and was hugging the end-line when he switched play back to Donal O’Hare and he had the vision to spot the charging run of Caolan Mooney, who collected the pass and without a split second of hesitation, the Rostrevor talisman fired through a wall of Sligo defenders and goalkeeper Aidan Devaney, for a stunning goal, which sealed the victory.
Mooney displayed immense composure to pick his spot through a crowded goal but its significance was huge because it gave Down their first Allianz National League win under Paddy Tally and helped light the torch for that fighting spirit; especially late in games.
They came away from Collooney with renewed confidence and that win instilled huge belief which gathered momentum and while promotion eluded them on the last day, there were several fine performances, including Donal O’Hare’s hat-trick of goals against Longford later that season, which was another special display from one of the best poacher goal-scorers in the country.
