A POINT from a right wing 60-yard free a minute into injury-time by Ross Carr gave Down a 0-11 to 0-10 victory over Derry in this exciting Dr McKenna Cup game at St Patrick’s Park Newcastle yesterday.
Played under the experimental rules the players found it hard to adapt to the different interpretations by two referees whose contrasting styles had not only the players confused at times but also the spectators. Indeed, Down manager Peter McGrath’s only comment on the rules and the two referees was “double trouble” while Ross Carr felt that the inconsistency didn’t help the game nor indeed the flow of play.
In an exciting game which saw the teams level on seven occasions it was the greater commitment from Down that finally won the day.
Down: P Travers, F Caulfield, B Burns, M McEvoy, C Murray, L Howlett, M McMurray, Sean Ward, P Withnell, G Deegan, P Sloan, A Quinn (0-4), M Linden (0-3), R Carr (0-3), Shane Ward (0-1).
Subs: J McCartan for M McMurray, C McCabe for P Sloan, J McAlinden for Shane Ward. Derry: D Hasson, K McKeever, H Downey, R Lynch, J McGurk, P McFlynn, F Devlin, A Tohill, D Duggan, D Heany, G Coleman (0-1), E Burns (0-4), G Cushnahan (0-3), S McLarnon (0-2), B Kearney.
Sub: O McCloskey for P McFlynn.
Refs: J Curran (Tyrone) and B Crowe (Cavan)
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EXPERIMENTAL rules, experimental team line outs and, amid the confusion a two-point win, 1-11 to 1-9, for Tyrone.
Ulster football gave a cool welcome to the use of two referees and automatic dismissal for two personal fouls.
But there was much to admire in this game from a traditional skills point of view, not least the first-half scoring exploits of Donegal’s Brendan Devenny and the emergence, after the break, of Tyrone newcomer Fergal Coyle as a potent attacking force.
Tyrone: F McConnell, S Teague, F Logan, F Devlin, P Canavan, S McCallan, T McKenna, P McLaughlin, V Owens, B Eccles (0-1), G Cavlan (0-2), C Loughran, F Coyle (1-2), E Gormley (0-4), S Lawn (0-1).
Subs: A Cush (0-1) for Owens, B Meenan for Logan, S McLaughlin for McCallan, P O’Neill for Teague, M McGleenan for P McLaughlin
Donegal: T Blake, J Scanlon, S Carr, J J Doherty, N McGinley, D McNamara, M Bonner, J Harran (0-1), B Murray, B McGowan, A Sweeney, C Brennan (0-1), J Duffy (0-1), T Boyle (0-1), B Devenny (1-5). Subs: B Roper for Boyle, N Hegarty for Bonner, D Diver for Doherty, M Crossan for Brennan.
Refs: Gerry Lynch (Fermanagh) Pat McEneaney (Monaghan)
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A MINUTE into injury time Declan McKernan got a hand to a through ball after a good five-man move to lob the advancing Cormac McAdam and put the holder’s Fermanagh out of this year’s Dr McKenna Cup at Clones, 1-14 to 2-10.
Monaghan got off to a flying start but a goal by Paul Brewster in the 18th minute kick started a Fermanagh revival.
Monaghan: J O’Connor, E Murphy, F Duffy, N Marron, D McArdle, C McAree, J Conlon (0-1), P McShane, C Ronaghan, D Freeman, M Daly, K Hughes (0-4), D Smyth (0-4), D McKernan (1-4), S McGinnity (0-1).
Subs: M Slowey for M Daly, P Duffy for S McGinnity, N Magennis for F Duffy.
Fermanagh: C McAdam, P McGuinness, S Breen, P Courtney, R Curran, B King, T Callaghan (0-1), P Brewster (1-0), M Greene, D McNulty (0-1), C Curran, S Maguire (0-2), S Quinn, R Gallagher (0-5), M Gallagher (1-1).
Subs: C Courtney for M Greene, J Hanna for M Gallahger.
Refs: M McGrath (Donegal) and J McKee (Armag
