Joe McDonagh Cup: Down finish campaign with a flourish

Joe McDonagh Cup

DOWN 1-28 WESTMEATH 1-18

By Elaine Ingram at McKenna Park

Down’s hopes of promotion were already gone before they headed into this final group game in this year’s Joe McDonagh Cup, while Westmeath were destined to finish in the bottom two.

As such there was little to play for, but it was a competitive game in McKenna Park on Sunday and Ronan Sheehan’s men were worthy winners.

Westmeath had a strong wind at their back in the first half, so Down were in the driver’s seat heading into the break a goal to the good.

After Finn Turpin opened the scoring for the hosts, the sides were level at 0-2 apiece by the third minute.

Down kept their noses in front after that with points from Donal Hughes and Tim Prenter, but Johnny Bermingham kept the visitors in touch with the next point to make it 0-4 to 0-3.

Westmeath were using an extra man at the back and the tactic was working well as they kept Down at bay for the most part at that stage, with Darragh McCormack equalising on 13 minutes.

But Tom McGrattan scored the next for Down and the same player had a goal shot well saved moments later. A maximum seemed imminent and it arrived on 18 minutes via Down full back Ruairi McCrickard. That gave the hosts a 1-6 to 0-5 lead but David Williams was in fine form for Westmeath, scoring 0-5 in the half. There were further goal chances at both ends, with Prenter coming close for Down and Williams forcing a good save at the other end, but Down led 1-11 to 0-11 at the break.

Traded points continued early in the second half with the margin remaining at three points 1-14 to 014, but with the wind in their favour, it wasn’t long before the Mournemen pulled away.

Prenter had another shot on goal well saved by Westmeath netminder Eoin Aughey on 47 minutes but after that, Pearse Og McCrickard sent a ‘65 over the bar and four points from play in a row followed, giving Down a seven-point advantage.

They stretched that lead to 10 in the fourth quarter and the competition petered out in the last few minutes with Down out of sight.

Jack Gillen netted for Westmeath in stoppage time but that merely put a gloss on the scoreline as Down ran out comfortable 1-28 to 1-18 winners in the end.

Scorers for Down: Finn Turpin 0-5, Pearse Og McCrickard 0-5 (4f, 1'65), Donal Hughes 0-3, Ruairi McCrickard 1-0, Tim Prenter 0-3, Ronan Beatty 0-3,Tom McGrattan 0-2, Tom Murray 0-2, Paul Sheehan 0-2 (2f), Caolan Taggart, Daithi Sands, Marc Fisher 0-1 each.

Scorers for Westmeath: David Williams 0-8 (5f), Jack Gillen 1-3 (2f, 1'65), Darragh McCormack 0-3, Eamon Cunneen 0-2, , Marc Cunningham, Johnny Bermingham 0-1 each.

Down: Pearce Smyth; Ronan Smyth, Ruairi McCrickard, Ben Teggart; Tom Murray, Caolan Taggart, Niall McFarland; Donal Hughes, Barry Trainor; Finn Turpin, Pearse Og McCrickard, Daithi Sands; Tom McGrattan, Tim Prenter, Ronan Beatty. Subs: Marc Fisher for Murray (52), Owen McDermott for Trainor (52), Cathal Coleman for R Beatty (53), Paul Sheehan for P Og McCrickard (61), Eoin Pucci for R Smyth (64)

Westmeath: Eoin Aughy; John Fry, Naoise McKenna, John Bermingham; Cian McCarthy, Rory Keyes, Adam Bate; Jack Kearney, Peter Murphy; Eamonn Cunneen, David Williams, Marc Cunningham; Darragh McCormack, Eoin Keyes, Josh Coll. Subs: Jack Gillen for McCarthy (30), Shane Williams for Bermingham (h-t), Darragh Egerton for Fry (43), Charles Flynn for Murphy (63),

Referee: Eamonn Furlong