Joe McDonagh Cup: Kerry 0-18 Down 1-19
DOWN repeated their recent Allianz League win over Kerry in this Joe McDonagh Cup opener at Austin Stack Park on Saturday after the home side never recovered from a Daithí Sands goal straight from the throw-in.
Down were fully deserving winners with free taker Paul Sheehan converting 0-14 from placed balls as Kerry lacked discipline and intensity in one of their worst performances of recent seasons.
Granted they lost of two of their inspirational players with Mikey Boyle (suspended) and Shane Nolan announcing his retirment.
Down were on top for most of the game, except for a brief spell before half-time when they led by 1-7 to 0-7 in the 25th minute but then allowed Kerry shoot four in a row, two from Shane Conway frees and one each from Podge Boyle and Michael Laide thus allowing the home side, who had played with a swirling breeze in the opening half, to lead 0-11 to 1-7 at half-time.
When Podge Boyle fired over another beauty from distance early in the second half, Kerry skipped two clear but Paul Sheehan responded in kind before Boyle pushed Kerry two clear again and Down were wavering slightly. But Down thanks to midfielders Pearse Óg McCrickard and Liam Savage took over while at the back John McManus, Matt Conlon, Caolan Taggart and Eoghan Sands were working hard, the Ardsmen were soon on level terms thanks to four Sheehan placed balls but they also shot four wides in this period.
The game then developed into a shootout between free takers Sheehan and Conway so that by the 65th minute, Down had stretched 1-17 to 0-16 clear. Then came late drama as Conway and Mulcahy closed the gap to three with time up but when Paudie O’Connor fouled Daithí Sands, Down were awarded a penalty and O’Connor was black carded but the penalty was wisely tapped over by Oisín MacManus to leave it at a four-point margin. Play swung to the other end as Shane Conway was taken down by Mallon for a Kerry penalty. Stephen Keith turned Conway’s well struck penalty behind and Conway missed the 65 as Down celebrated a famous win.
Down manager Ronan Sheehan was happy to have won a close contest following their mauling at the hands of Westmeath in the Division 2A final.
“The league final was disappointing because we created 45 chances but shot 19 wides. We talked a lot about getting small things right but we knew today was going to be incredibly tough," he said.
"We travelled today without Donal Hughes and Conor Woods and so we are were happy but Kerry were without Shane Nolan and Mikey Boyle. It makes a massive difference to us, Kerry or Carlow to be missing a few players as we just have the same back-up.
"I think playing five games in six weeks in the Joe McDonagh is not fair on teams and you will see teams in round four and round five of this being like the walking wounded. I don’t think its treating the Joe Mac with respect.
“We have two home games now but against two Division One teams, we play Antrim on next weekend in Ballycran in a local derby and we are really looking forward to that and we have Offaly the following week so it’s not easy.”
Kerry: L Dee; F McCarthy, C O’Keeffe, E Leen; E Ross, F Mackessy, C Walsh; M Leane (0-1), P O’Connor; G Dooley, D Collins, C Harty; P Boyle (0-5, 0-3 frees), S Conway (0-11, 0-8 frees), M O’Connor
Subs: N Mulcahy (0-1) for M O’Connor (47), S Weir for C Walsh (62), B Lonergan for G Dooley (64),
Black card: P O’Connor (70-full-time)
Down: S Keith; M Hughes, J McManus, T Murray; B Trainor, M Conlon, C Teggart; P Óg McCrickard (0-2), L Savage; R McCusker, P Sheehan (0-14, 0-2 65s), D Mallon; D Sands (1-1), C Egan, E Sands
Subs: J Doran for R McCusker (11), M Fisher for C Egan, 42, D McCartney for M Hughes, 53, G Hughes for T Murray, 57, O MacManus (0-1pen) for P Sheehan (66)
Black card: Darragh Mallon (73-full-time)
Referee: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)
