Allianz Football League Division Two: Down 0-10 Cork 1-13
THE changes in fortune that a week in football can bring were personified by the Harrison brothers of Down.
A week ago full-forward Connaire top-scored with 1-3 in a six-point win in Louth while goalkeeper Shane kept a clean sheet.
Yesterday, though, the net-minder messed up a kick-out, leading to Cork’s goal for Mark Collins, and the Down attacker managed just one point before being sent off at the very end, a red card that seems set to rule him out of next weekend’s trip to Roscommon.
Yet the Glasdrumman lads are far from the only Down men who must improve for that game.
Corner-back Colm Flanagan did well, despite somewhat surprisingly being tasked with marking Colm O’Neill, while Caolan Mooney made some trademark penetrating runs and worked back well, but otherwise too many in black had off-days.
Cork, who conceded three goals in their home loss to Tipperary in their opener, defended in greater numbers, sometimes with two sweepers, although that was partly a consequence of Down’s unadventurous approach.
The hosts made two changes to the side that lined out the previous weekend in Louth, with Darren O’Hagan replacing Gerard McGovern in defence and Donal O’Hare coming into attack for Sean Dornan.
O’Hare was mostly the only other up in attack with Connaire Harrison, although Conor Maginn was in fairly close support.
Harrison did cancel out O’Neill’s opening score, but those were false dawns: Down consequently struggled to offer a scoring threat from play, and O’Neill was well watched after that by Castlewellan man Flanagan.
However, the Down defence found it much harder to contain Sean White, who kicked two quick points and was fouled for a free converted by Collins, helping the Rebels to raced into a 5-1 lead.
Yet they did begin to get more bodies forward, with all their half-forwards fouled for frees, all of which were put over by Anthony Doherty and his straight-as-a-die kicking style.
Collins clipped over as couple of late points for Cork, but frees from Darragh O’Hanlon ensured only one separated the sides at the break, the visitors leading 7-6.
Down did start the second half strongly, at least in terms of possession, but their shooting was little better, with several more efforts dropped short, although Shay Millar did level the scores.
Almost 10 more minutes elapsed without a score from either side, but after that Cork took over, rattling off 1-4 inside a six-minute spell. Mooney managed a point for Down during that, but too much damage had been done.
The worst element was the goal, obviously, coming in the 56th minute. The scuffed kick-out was seized upon by Ruairi Deane and he smartly supplied Collins, whose shot dropped fortuitously under the bar rather than over it.
O’Neill added a free and suddenly Cork were well clear, leading by 1-11 to 0-8.
Down heads dropped, it must be said, O’Hanlon even missing a fairly simple free, and the visitors extended their advantage to double scores. Indeed Cork could have got in for a goal or two with better link-play as gaps opened up in the home rearguard.
After the later than advertised start, there was an earlier than anticipated finish for some Down fans, who drifted away with the game clearly gone.
The hosts did display some spirit in added time, with scores from two of their big name substitutes, Ryan Johnston and Kevin McKernan, but they were too far back on the scoreboard to threaten a comeback.
The dismissal of their full-forward – after a clash with his marker Jamie O’Sullivan, who also walked for receiving a second card – merely compounded a pretty poor day all round for the men in black.
Down: S Harrison; C Flanagan, D O’Hagan, B McArdle; D O’Hanlon (0-2 frees), N McParland (capt.), A Doherty (0-3 frees); C Poland, N Donnelly; C Mooney (0-1), C Maginn, S Millar (0-1); D O’Hare, C Harrison (0-1), A Morgan
Substitutes: K McKernan (0-1) for Maginn (51); B O’Hagan for O’Hare (51); D McKibbin for Doherty (56); R Johnston (0-1) for Millar (56)
Yellow card: O’Hanlon (44)
Red card: C Harrison (76)
Cork: M White; S Ryan, J O’Sullivan, M McSweeney; K Flahive, B O’Driscoll, T Clancy; I Maguire, C O’Hanlon; S White (0-2), K Crowley, R Deane; J O’Rourke, C O’Neill (0-5, 0-4 frees), M Collins (1-5)
Substitutes: M Hurley for O’Rourke (45); C Dorman for O’Driscoll (51); P Kelleher (0-1) for O’Hanlon (60, inj.); M Taylor for White (64); C Dorgan for Flahive (68); S Sherlock for O’Neill (69)
Yellow cards: Maguire (58); Collins (71)
Red card: O’Sullivan (76, second yellow).
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
Attendance: 2,938
