Football

Down hope to build new team after debutants shine in Pairc Esler battle

Down's Daniel McGuinness made his Championship debut against Armagh in Newry last Sunday. Picture by Philip Walsh.
Down's Daniel McGuinness made his Championship debut against Armagh in Newry last Sunday. Picture by Philip Walsh. Down's Daniel McGuinness made his Championship debut against Armagh in Newry last Sunday. Picture by Philip Walsh.

ALL 15 of the Armagh team that started against Down two years ago were in the squad for the return to Newry last Sunday and only one – unused substitute Oisin O’Neill – failed to see action at Pairc Esler.

While debutants Rian O'Neill and Jarlath og Burns were outstanding, Armagh's squad consistency is one of the reasons the Orchardmen were able to turn the tables on their neighbours who have haemorraghed players over recent seasons and were without 14 of the 21 players who had beaten Armagh in 2017.

For various reasons, including injury and retirement, Michael Cunningham, Anthony Doherty, Darren O’Hanlon, Gerard and Conal McGovern, Niall McParland, Joe Murphy, Niall Donnelly, Shay Millar, Ryan Johnston, David McKibbin, Aidan Carr, Mark Poland and Peter Turley were all watching on last Sunday.

The challenge for Down now is to keep the class of 2019 together and manager Paddy Tally knows that will be crucial if the Mournemen are to develop from occasional challengers into genuine Ulster Championship contenders.

“That’s the nature of the project here,” said Tally after last Sunday’s one-point loss to Armagh.

“We have to build a new team and there was no better place to experience the Championship than out there.”

Down players and fans may still be licking their wounds after the one-point defeat against their neighbours but, when the dust finally settles, the Mourne county faithful could view the experience as a positive one. Eight players saw Championship action for the first time and there were some promising performances from the new faces in Tally’s side.

The debutants in the starting line-up were goalkeeper Rory Burns, Conor Francis, Daniel Guinness and goal-scoring full-forward Pat Havern.

Meanwhile, James Guinness and rookie goalkeeper Mark Hynes both had a first taste of senior action as substitutes and Guinness responded with two points including the nerveless equaliser that forced extra-time.

Corey Quinn and Owen McCabe were also blooded in the Championship for the first time and both thrived in the Pairc Esler cauldron. Ruairi Wells and Conor Poland both made their first Championship starts last Sunday while the likes of Gerard Collins, Ryan McAleenan and Ryan Mallon all returned to the side after spells on the sidelines.

“We had eight boys who make their Championship debuts out there and that has to be positive,” said manager Tally, a Championship debutant himself as manager after spells as assistant at Tyrone, Down (back in 2010) and Galway last year.

“None of them looked as if they were out of place; they acquitted themselves very well from Corey Quinn and Owen McCabe coming in, James Guinness coming in and then the boys that started. They all did themselves justice.”

Next up for Down are the All-Ireland Qualifiers which begin on June 16. After Andy Murnin’s late winner on Sunday, Tally will be well aware that his defence needs to improve on how they cope with the high delivery into the square.

“We knew that Armagh had the ability to go very big inside,” he said.

“We knew we were going to be under pressure, balls were going to come in directly and we didn’t deal with that particularly well. We lost our goalkeeper too which had an effect but how often do you flick a ball into the top corner? It was one of those goals that will be remembered for a long time in Armagh.”