Tailteann Cup semi-final: Down through to the final

Tailteann Cup final

Down 2-19 Fermanagh 1-21

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Ryan McEvoy struck the winning point as Down just about held on to secure their third Tailteann Cup final place in four seasons.

Leading by 10 points at one stage late in the first half, and by seven at the interval, 2024 champions Down looked set for a comfortable passage through to another decider.

Eamon Brown and Pat Havern scored the first half goals, and 2-05 in total between them, for a Down side that memorably took out Donegal in the Ulster SFC.

But they couldn't push on for the big win that many expected this time and found themselves back on terms with an Ultan Kelm inspired Fermanagh twice late on in the second half.

Fermanagh threw everything they had at it after the break and two two-pointers from Kelm, along with one from Conor Love, left the underdogs within touching distance of going one better than last year's semi-final defeat.

But McEvoy's 67th minute point for a wasteful Down ultimately separated the sides and Fermanagh were left wincing when substitute Declan McCusker's 70th minute attempt for an equaliser dragged wide at the Davin End.

Odhran Murdock produced a trademark timely fetch from the resulting kick-out for Down as time ran out on Fermanagh's brave bid for victory.

Down will return to Croke Park on July 11 to face the winners of this afternoon's second semi-final between Wicklow and Offaly.

Down registered big tallies against Longford and Laois after their surprise Round 2A defeat to Offaly and hit the ground running again.

Goalkeeper Ronan Burns nailed a two-point free with just 45 seconds on the clock, Brown then grabbed their opening goal in the fourth minute and Miceál Rooney capitalised on a turnover in the Fermanagh defence to race away and make it 1-03 to no score shortly after.

Already it was looking ominous for Fermanagh who, in their sixth championship game of the summer, were playing outside of Enniskillen for the first time.

Declan Bonner's side didn't take long to get it going though and impressively had cut the deficit to just a single point by the 13th minute, 1-04 to 1-03.

Mattie McDermott capped a brilliant debut campaign for Fermanagh with a well taken Croke Park goal, sliding the ball low beneath Burns in the ninth minute after being picked out in acres of space.

It was a brief reprieve for the Erne County as Down hit the gas again and motored 1-10 to 1-04 clear, Odhran Murdock and Havern nailing two-pointers.

Havern's 30th minute goal was a big score and extended the Mourne's lead to 2-13 to 1-06 at that stage.

Fermanagh kicked themselves for conceding the goal as they'd done exactly what they planned to at the other end, pinning in Down's defenders close to the endline to leave space outside the arc for two-point expert Darragh McGurn to try for an orange flag score.

But McGurn's pot shot was blocked down, Down raced away and capitalised on Fermanagh's lack of defensive numbers with a long Daniel Guinness kick pass for Brown to break the ball to Havern. His finish was sumptuous, spotting space at the far post and lobbing the ball into the corner of the net.

Brown's size gives Down an aerial presence in attack and he displayed his power in the air for a 22nd minute point, helping Down to lead 2-13 to 1-09 at half time.

Fermanagh put in a strong second half display against Armagh in the Ulster championship and knew they would need something like that again to advance here.

They had the wind advantage and duly took advantage, outscoring Down by 0-06 to 0-01 in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Ultan Kelm, whose mid-season return from injury was a giant boost, scored three of the points, including his first two-pointer.

Love, exceptional against Wexford last season at Croke Park, scored another two-pointer for Fermanagh in the 57th minute.

Kelm's second two-pointer of the half in the 59th minute left just a point in it as Down now led 2-17 to 1-19. And the former AFL target played a role in the equaliser two minutes later, feeding substitute Ciarán Corrigan.

How Down regretted their failure to take two goal chances earlier in the half, Havern initially palming onto the post and being guilty of a square ball offence anyhow, and Brown having a shot saved by Seán McNally.

They were level again at 2-18 to 1-21 before McEvoy ultimately intervened for the winning point, allowing Down fans to breathe out and wipe beads of sweat from their foreheads.

Down scorers: Pat Havern 1-3 (1 tp, 0-1f), Eamon Brown 1-2, Odhran Murdock 0-2 (1 tp), Ronan Burns 0-2 (1 tpf), Miceál Rooney 0-2, Callum Rogers 0-2, Caolán Mooney 0-2, Daniel Guinness 0-1, Céilum Doherty 0-1, Ruairí McCormack 0-1, Ryan McEvoy 0-1.

Fermanagh scorers: Mattie McDermott 1-3 (0-2f), Ultan Kelm 0-5 (2 tp), Conor Love 0-4 (1 tp, 0-1f), Darragh McGurn 0-2, Ronan McCaffrey 0-2, Ciarán Corrigan 0-2, Garvan Jones 0-1 (0-1f), Josh Largo Ellis 0-1, Conor O'Hanlon 0-1.

Down: Ronan Burns; Peter Fegan, Ryan McEvoy, Pierce Laverty; Callum Rogers, Patrick McCarthy, Shane Annett; Odhran Murdock, Daniel Guinness; Miceál Rooney, Adam Crimmins, Ryan Magill; Eamon Brown, Céilum Doherty, Pat Havern.

Subs: Ruairí McCormack for Crimmins 18, Caolán Mooney for Magill 47, Ross Carr for McCarthy 55, John McGeough for Rogers 58.

Fermanagh: Seán McNally; Jonathan Cassidy, Oisín Smyth, Shane McGullion; Ultan Kelm, Ronan McCaffrey, Josh Largo Ellis; Conor McGee, Stephen McGullion; Darragh McGurn, Conor O'Hanlon, Joe McDade; Conor Love, Garvan Jones, Mattie McDermott.

Subs: Ciarán Corrigan for Jones h/t, Aogán Kelm for O'Hanlon 44, Seán Cassidy for McGee 46, Oisín Kelm for McDade 58-f/t blood, Declan McCusker for Largo Ellis 63, Cian O'Brien for Love 66.

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).