AIB Leinster Club SFC q-final: Goals prove key for The Downs
Jonathan Lynam of The Downs. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
AIB Leinster Club SFC quarter-final
The Downs 3-13 (3-1-11) Kilanerin 0-15 (0-1-13)
By Gerry Buckley at TEG Cusack Park
Goals win games and it needed three well-timed green flags by The Downs to defeat Kilanerin by a flattering seven-point margin in very cold conditions in Mullingar.
The Wexford champions started by far the stronger and they should have led by more than Cian Hughes’ fourth-minute point when Michael Moloney equalised in the eighth minute. Two minutes later, good work by Luke Loughlin set up Niall Mitchell for a slapped goal from point-blank range against the run of play. The same player added a point under pressure in the 12th minute, with Loughlin again the provider, to put Dermot Power’s charges ahead by 1-2 to 0-1.
However, Kilanerin, who were dominating the midfield battle, went on to control the remainder of the first moiety, outscoring the home team by 0-9 to 0-1. The Downs’ only score came from Loughlin in the 23rd minute, when a goal beckoned.
The visitors’ points came courtesy of Dean O’Toole (six, including two frees and the only two-pointer of the half from a 25th-minute free, after dissent by The Downs), and one each from play by the Hughes brothers, Padraic, Eoin and Cian. Ian Martin was very narrowly wide from a goal opportunity in the last action of the half, but Kilanerin-Ballyfad deservedly led by 0-10 to 1-3 at half-time.
Martin halved the deficit with a fine two-pointer from play less than three minutes after play resumed, but Padraig Murphy’s troops rallied and were 0-13 to 1-6 ahead after 38 minutes. However, the complexion of the game changed in the 42nd minute when the hard-working Joe Moran found the net despite stumbling at the end of a good move, to leave the sides tied at 2-7 to 0-13.
With Westmeath players Loughlin and Kevin O’Sullivan by now more prominent in attack, The Downs edged ahead by 2-10 to 0-15 with 50 minutes on the clock. A minute later, Mitchell and O’Sullivan combined in style for the latter to score a decisive third goal from close range, and the home side always looked the likely winners from then on. Niall Hughes was narrowly wide from a goal opportunity in the 58th minute, and with that the chance of an away victory ended.
Scorers for The Downs: K O’Sullivan 1-2, N Mitchell 1-1, L Loughlin 0-4 (1f), J Moran 1-0, I Martin 0-2 (2pt), M Moloney, J Lynam, T Tuite, P Martin 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kilanerin-Ballyfad: D O’Toole 0-8 (1 2ptf, 4f), C Hughes, C Kinsella 0-2 each, P Hughes, N Hughes, E Hughes 0-1 each.
The Downs: Trevor Martin; Eanna Burke, Charlie Drumm, Josh Murtagh; Michael Moloney, Ciaran Nolan, Joe Moran; Lorcan Mullen, Jonathan Lynam; Kevin O’Sullivan, Ian Martin, Billy Moffatt; Luke Loughlin, Niall Mitchell, Tom Tuite. Subs: Dean Egerton for Moffatt (38), Philip Martin for Tuite (59), Oisín Murphy for Moloney (60+1), Tadhg Nolan for I Martin (60+3).
Kilanerin-Ballyfad: Conor Hughes; Andrew Smyth, Conor Jones, Kian Stedmond; Padraic Hughes, Eoin Hughes, Padraig Jones; Tom Modraunt, Mikey Hughes; Niall Hughes, Vincent Higgins, Conor Devitt; Cian Hughes, Conor Kinsella, Dean O’Toole. Subs: Sean Hughes for M Hughes (h-t), Sean Forde for S Hughes (blood, 39 - 42), Jason Bolger for Higgins (54), Sean Forde for Mordaunt (54), Jamie Hughes for Kinsella (59).
Ref: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).
