Hurling & Camogie

Classy Down hurlers ease past Wicklow in bruising encounter

Down’s Ruairi Campbell gets away from Wicklow’s Cathal O Dulachain during Sunday’s NHL Division 2B clash in Newry     
Down’s Ruairi Campbell gets away from Wicklow’s Cathal O Dulachain during Sunday’s NHL Division 2B clash in Newry      Down’s Ruairi Campbell gets away from Wicklow’s Cathal O Dulachain during Sunday’s NHL Division 2B clash in Newry     

Allianz National Hurling League Division 2B: Down 4-11 Wicklow 0-10

DOWN’S superior strength, fitness and scoring panache saw them ease past Wicklow and make it two wins out of two in Newry yesterday.

In a bruising and at times bad-tempered encounter that included 10 bookings and three red cards, the Ardsmen started with a 2-3 salvo in the opening 13 minutes and added 2-7 in the second half to seal what in the end was a comfortable victory.

First half goals from Scott Nicholson and Caolan Bailie were followed by second half majors from Rian Brannigan and Danny Toner and they were more than enough to kill off a wasteful Garden County outfit that was undone by ill-discipline and poor finishing.

Down could even afford the luxury of a missed penalty from Toner as they moved to the top of Division 2B; level on points with Mayo but ahead on scoring difference.

The home side’s full-back Padraig Flynn and Wicklow’s Anthony Byrne were both booked before the ball was thrown in and afterwards manager Mickey Johnston reflected on a battling win for his side.

“These teams have a wee bit of history,” he said.

“Two years ago Wicklow beat Down to move up and keep us in this division. We played them last year in the Christy Ring and it was nice and tight. Everybody is fighting for it and they came here today to keep their League aspirations alive.

“It was going to be a battle and, lucky enough, we were the physical victors and the scoreboard victors as well.”

He added: “It’s two-out-of-two but we’re looking at it game-by-game. There are titles to be won and we know that. Maybe last year we coughed up games too easy and let things go at times, but we’ve worked on our physicality and aggression at the break of the ball and we’ve needed those abilities in the two matches because Armagh and Wicklow are both very competitive teams.

“It’s all about the players buying in, and they are buying in. We don’t know where it can take us but we’re happy where we are.”

Down went ahead in the second minute yesterday when Rian Brannigan tapped over from close range.

Wicklow’s Stephen Kelly replied with a wind-assisted effort from midfield but Down were full of running and used the ball quickly and cleverly.

Their first goal came when Fintan Conway’s vision picked out Toner in space. His pass sent Scott Nicholson through and the Ballycran clubman buried a low shot past Wicklow ’keeper Robert Fitzgerald.

Kelly and Toner swapped scores before Caolan Bailie’s point sent Down 1-3 to 0-2 clear and Bailie was in the thick of the action again moments later when Toner’s ‘Hail Mary’ was fumbled by Fitzgerald and he nipped in to scoop the sliothar into the Wicklow net.

With 13 minutes gone Down held a commanding 2-3 to 0-2 lead but they were only able to manage one more point – a Toner free - in the rest of the half and Wicklow narrowed the gap to three by the time the half-time whistle sounded.

Daniel Staunton (two frees), Ronan Keddy (two from play) and Kelly all scored and Wicklow would have gone in ahead but for their poor shooting – they had eight wides in the half.

The visitors sent another shot off target early in the second half and Down made them pay for their wastefulness. James McGrath broke forward for a point and then Brannigan nipped in to score the third goal of the game.

Toner added a free and Conor Mageean left nine between the sides with a brilliant catch and finish from the left wing.

The half was 17 minutes old before Staunton managed Wicklow’s first score and Conor O’Prey quickly cancelled it out with a ‘65’.

Then Toner took Nicholson’s accurate pass and beat Fitzgerald with a cracking first time finish from a narrow angle to leave the result beyond doubt.

Aidan O’Prey and Wicklow’s Eugene Dunne and Gavin Weir (two yellows) were all sent off and though James Byrne, Kelly and Staunton managed points for the visitors, Toner and a Nicholson brace meant Down were pulling up at the finish.

Down: S Keith; M Conlon, P Flynn, J McManus; C O’Prey (0-1 ‘65’), C Taggart, J McGrath (0-1); S Nicholson (1-2, 0-1 free), C Woods; R Brannigan (1-1), F Conway, D Hughes; C Mageean (0-1), D Toner (1-4, 0-3 frees), C Bailie (1-1)

Subs: A O’Prey for Conway (54), S Ennis for C O’Prey (57), R Campbell for Brannigan (59), P Sheehan (0-1 free) for Toner (65), C Egan for Bailie (70)

Yellow cards: Flynn (0), Mageean (36), Conway (36), Bailie (70)

Red card: A O’Prey (59)

Wicklow: R Fitzgerald; P Keane, B Cuddihy, C O Dulachain; E Dunne, L Maloney, M O’Brien; D Masterson, R Keddy (0-2); P Doran, S Kelly (0-4), J Henderson; G Weir, A Byrne, D Staunton (0-4 frees)

Subs: J Byrne (0-1) for Masterson (26), R O’Ceadaigh for Keddy (46)

Yellow cards: A Byrne (0), J Byrne (28), Weir (37&62), Keane (40), Cuddihy (44)

Red cards: Dunne (59), Weir (62)

Referee: J Clarke (Cavan)