Hurling & Camogie

Portaferry ace Niamh Mallon fires Down to Intermediate glory

Down's Niamh Mallon (left) in action against Antrim in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final. 
Down's Niamh Mallon (left) in action against Antrim in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final.  Down's Niamh Mallon (left) in action against Antrim in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie Final. 

Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate final: Down 4-16 Antrim 2-10

MOST defences fear Niamh Mallon. Even if they manage to get a player who can stick with the Portaferry ace, there will always be a time when she can break clear and grab the match-winning scores.

That was the case on Saturday.

She was involved in a couple ofpoints during the first half and scored two herself. But it was the two goals and a point between the 37th and 41st minutes that killed off any hope Antrim had of denying Down an Intermediate victory that has been two years in the making.

"It's a relief to finally get there. As a team we have been focussed on this for a couple of years now. But before that there are players that wanted to push on when we won the Junior title six years ago. Then you have others that have been around for far longer like (Catherine) McGourty who started playing with Down in the last century.

"After the year that everyone has had, you don't take for granted the opportunity we have had to go for this title.

"We have been back three or four months and put in a lot of work during that time. It is just a class feeling to get to a final and win it."

It has also been a while since Down has registered 4-16 against any team.

"Well if you are going to win, nothing like doing it in style, is there?

"During the game I wasn't really looking at the score-board and aware that we were hitting a lot of scores. But we have been getting plenty of points in all our games. The goals were a bonus.

"Coming into the final we felt that Antrim didn't have the same experience as us and if we could get ahead of them we could make that experience count.

"They have good players and we couldn't afford to leave it a closely fought game. We stuck to a game plan and we had to push on and I suppose that is where the high score came from."

Niamh's dad, former Down and Ulster hurler Martin Mallon, was one of the coaches in the winning management team – as he was back in 2014 when the Junior title was annexed.

"Those are the only two years he was involved. He only does winners," she joked.

"It is great to have him involved. He played his part in the coaching. Everyone played their part and it was all about getting Down over the line. The training was enjoyable, but the big thing was how hard everyone was prepared to work in training, in matches."

And when you win in these times with no spectators, is it good to be able to share it with a family member?

"Definitely. It is something you took for granted before this year. My mother (Mary Jo) has travelled the length of Ireland to watch me play, Cork, Galway all over. It has been difficult for her not getting to games the past few months.

"But I am lucky to have him there. The other players don't have that and it is hard."

There is no automatic promotion to the senior grade this year, but Saturday's Player of the Match wants to see her team up there with the best.

"I think every inter-county player strives to play at senior level. I want to measure myself against the best players, see if we are good enough or how much we need to improve.

"It is something that wasn't on the cards five or ten years ago for Down. But I think that today's performance has shown that we are good enough to be up there and I hope that whoever makes these decisions will allow us test ourselves at senior level."