Antrim 0-23 Down 1-22
McDonagh Cup – Round 1
Saturday 18 April
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pearse Park, Dunloy
It was every inch the war of attrition that was forecast ahead of this Joe McDonagh Cup opener and just like four weeks ago in the Marshes, Down and Donal Hughes had the final say. A goal in the fourth minute of five added on gave Down the lead for the first time in the contest and ultimately proved to be the winning of the game.
Antrim had chances after. Their calls for a penalty fell on deaf ears when Keelan Molloy was felled on his way to goal. The Saffrons wanted a penalty, on reflection they have every right to be frustrated. Molloy looked like he was through and there was definitely a goal chance on. But, after consultation with his umpires, referee Thomas Gleeson awarded a free from roughly 25 yards out on the angle.
Gerard Walsh went for goal, Down ‘keeper Pearce Smyth was equal to his effort and yet, there was still time for another play. In fact, there was time for another two plays. The game was called in the ninth minute of injury time and Down victorious while Antrim were left with that ‘what might have been’ feeling.
Seaan Elliott was top of the scoring charts, raising the white flag on 11 occasions while Ryan McCambridge, Keelan Molloy and Conal Cunning all had strong games. Tom McGrattan and Pearse Og McCrickard shared 12 points between them while Daithi Sands was a constant threat. Caolan Taggart patrolled the heart of the Down defence and pulled the strings and seemed to be at the break of every ball.
Antrim had the help of a strong wind from the first whistle and despite McGrattan opening the scoring, Antrim on top. They only managed three Elliott frees in the opening 12 minutes though with four wides in the same period hurting their challenge.
The Saffrons continued to use Ruairi Donaghy inside on his own, packing the middle third and looking to break the lines for scoring chances. The first score by Antrim from open play came in the 15th minute via the hurl of Elliott and while Pearce Og McCrickard responded for Down, Molloy and Eoin O’Neill dissected the uprights to put four between the sides midway through the first half.
That deficit was reduced to three with Sands’ first of the game and while James McNaughton and Conal Cunning found their range, Antrim’s tally of wides had reached eight before the 25th minute of the contest.
The free taking of McCrickard was keeping Down within touching distance everytime Antrim looked to be building a lead while McCambridge and Paul Boyle were raising white flags at the other end of the pitch. McCrickard’s fourth free proved to be the last action of the half as Antrim took a 0-12 to 0-8 lead into the interval.
The consensus was that four points was never going to be enough, given the strength of the wind. Down would have been the happier side at the interval, there’s no doubting that yet, for long periods of the second half Antrim were in control. Everytime Down ate into the deficit, Antrim found a response. The first 19 points of the second half were tit-for-tat with Elliott’s free taking to the fore for the Saffrons.
Antrim did create a couple of half goal chances, the most notable one saw Molloy and Cunning combining before Molloy’s shot was bravely blocked by a Down defender who launched his body in the path of the sliotar.
The lead was reduced to two points when substitute Marc Fisher dissected the uprights with a point from huge distance in the 64th minute. Antrim responded with Elliott’s 11th point of the game while they called Pearce Smyth into action to deny McNaughton a goal from a fierce drive but with three minutes of the 70 remaining, Antrim still led by three points.
Down refused to lay down however. Points from Owen McDermott and a brace of frees from McGrattan brought the sides level in the last minute of normal time.
Antrim regrouped and a brilliant score from substitute Jack McCloskey looked to have the Saffrons off to a winning start in the competition only for Down to score the only major of the game in the fourth minute of injury time. Ronan Beatty rising highest to pluck the sliotar from the air with a brilliant catch before finding Hughes in space and he made no mistake.
Antrim rallied and sent an aerial assault on the Down full back line looking for a major that never came. Calls for a penalty when Molloy looked to be through on goal fell on deaf ears, much to the frustration of the Antrim management.
Four weeks ago in Pairc Esler, it felt like Down got the rewards their efforts deserved. This loss will sting for this Antrim team. Lady luck didn’t shine upon those in a Saffron jersey and they have a short turnaround now to focus on a Laois side in O’Moore Park in Round Two.
TEAMS
ANTRIM: Cormac McFadden; Oisin Donnelly, Niall O’Connor, Stephen Rooney; Ryan McNulty, Paddy Burke, Joe Maskey; Eoin O’Neill, Paul Boyle; Keelan Molloy, Ryan McCambridge, Conal Cunning; James McNaughton, Ruairi Donaghy, Seaan Elliott
Subs: Conal Bohill for P Boyle (49); Gerard Walsh for E O’Neill (59); Ruairi McCormick for R McNulty (65); Scott Walsh for O Donnelly (68); Jack McCloskey for C Cunning (70+2)
Scorers: S Elliott 0-11 (10f); J McNaughton 0-3; C Cunning 0-2; R McCambridge 0-2; K Molloy 0-2; E O’Neill 0-1; P Boyle 0-1; J McCloskey 0-1
DOWN: Pearce Smyth; Tom Murray, Ruairi McCrickard, Ben Teggart; Barry Trainor, Caolan Taggart, Niall McFarland; Donal Hughes, Liam Savage; Daithi Sands, Finn Turpin, Pearse Og McCrickard; Tom McGrattan, Tim Prenter, Shea Pucci
Subs: Cathal Coleman for T Prenter (27); Marc Fisher for T Murray (52); Ronan Smyth for N McFarland (56); Paul Sheehan for P Og McCrickard (61); Owen McDermott for F Turpin (63)
Scorers: T McGrattan 0-6 (2fs); P Og McCrickard 0-6 (6fs); D Hughes 1-1; D Sands 0-2; B Teggart 0-1; C Taggart 0-1; L Savage 0-1; F Turpin 0-1; C Coleman 0-1; M Fisher 0-1; O McDermott 0-1
Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Dublin)
