St. Michael's G.A.C

Sunday 20th April 2008.   2.30pm, Pairc Esler, Newry.

Down team-manager Ross Carr will not name his side that will face Fermanagh in a vital NFL Division Three game on Sunday, 20th of April at Pairc Esler, Newry until after training on Friday. The Down side have a number of injury worries ahead of this ’must win’ clash with Ronan Murtagh already ruled out of contention with a hand injury he picked up in the sides defeat to Leitrim recently in Carrick-on-Shannon.

U-21 star Paul McComiskey is carrying a groin injury and his participation on Sunday depends on how he fares with the county U-21 side in their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Kildare on this Saturday, 19th of April in Navan. Another forward John Fegan will also be unavailable for the Newry clash as he will be in Australia.

A number of Carr’s senior panel are expected to take part in both the league and U-21 championship games this week-end. Hopefully, the Mourne sides get the results they are looking for in both games, and there are no further injuries to report on

 

Taken from www.hoganstand.com

Fermanagh ensured promotion to Division 2 thanks to their draw with Wexford, with the Model County now favourites to join them in the final after Down’s loss in Leitrim.

The Erne County looked odds on for the win at Lisnaskea with goals from Mark Murphy and Eamonn Maguire pushing them into a commanding lead. However, they lost Shane Goan to a red card just before the break and that allowed Jody Ryan’s visitors to dominate the second half.

A flurry of Wexford points tied the game - a result which suits both sides. Fermanagh are promoted while Wexford simply need a point from their final round game against Louth to nail to join them in Division 2 next year.

Down’s good early season form continued to go astray as despite an early goal from Benny Coulter, Leitrim came back to dominate at Carrick-on-Shannon. Eamonn Mulligan’s penalty and a major from Philip McGuinness put Dessie Dolan’s side into a commanding lead before Down rallied, only to end up one point losers.

Louth secured their place in the division as they came from behind to see of Sligo by a point. The Connacht champions, who will now do well to avoid relegation and the prospect of Tommy Murphy Cup football that goes with it, held a good lead at Dundalk before they conceded two goals.

Shane Lennon and Colm Judge bagged the majors for Eamonn McEneaney’s men with Ronan Carroll’s late point clinching the win.

Longford beat Limerick by two points in a crucial relegation dogfight at Kilmallock. It took an amazing 27 minutes for the first score with Seanie Buckley scoring for the home side.

But Luke Dempsey’s side bagged three goals to run out winners.


NFL Division 3 results

Fermanagh 2-6 Wexford 0-12

Limerick 2-7 Longford 3-5

Leitrim 2-7 Down 1-9

Louth 2-7 Sligo 0-12

(Taken from www.hoganstand.com)

Down recovered from a shaky start to secure a 3-11 to 1-14 win over Derry in a thrilling Cadbury’s Ulster U21 FC final at Casement Park.

Wind-aided Derry began the game like an express train and were 0-5 to 0-2 in front after just 11 minutes with James Kielt noching two of them.

However a snap goal by Conor Garvey in the 14th minute put a different picture on proceedings as Down eased their way into the game.

After 29 minutes the teams were on level terms before a six man Down move ended with Paul McComiskey rifling the ball to the Derry net for a 2-5 to 0-8 half-time lead for the Mourne County.

A shock goal by Sean Leo McGoldrick in the 38th minute and a point by Paul McVey had Down playing catch up once more.

Down fought back once more with points by Cathal Magee and McComiskey with 51 minutes on the clock.

Right on the hour Down hit the jackpot with a goal by Ryan Kelly to make it 3-10 to 1-13 for Down before a point apiece was sent over in injury time.

Down - M McAlister; M Digney, C Murney, J Murphy; C Garvey 1-0, K Duffin, T Hanna 0-1; J Colgan, J Caldwell; C McGinn, K McKernan 0-2, P McCumiskey 1-4; C Brannigan, 0-2 C Magee 0-1, R Kelly 1-1. Subs: C Killen for McKernan, P Downey for Magee, B Rooney for Hanna.

Derry - M O’Neill; D Bell, N Holly, M McShane; B Og McAlary, C McKaigue 0-3, D McBride; M Craig 0-1, B Gormley 0-1; J Kielt 0-3, R Kealey, SL McGoldrick 1-0; P McWilliams 0-1, E Lynn 0-1, E Brown 0-1. Subs: N McNicholl for Kealey, P McVey 0-1 for McWilliams.

Ref - R O’Donnell (Donegal)

(Taken from www.hoganstand.com)

Sunday 20th May 2007

12.00pm  ESB Ulster Minor Hurling Championship - Derry Vs Down (Casement Park, Belfast)

1.45pm Guinness Ulster Senior Hurling Championship -Derry Vs Down (Casement Park, Belfast)

4.15pm Bank of Ireland Ulster Senior Championship Replay -Down Vs Cavan (Pairc Esler, Newry)

7.30pm ESB Ulster Minor Football Championship Quarter Final - Monaghan Vs Down (Crossmaglen)

Pairc Esler Newry

Sunday 20th May 2007 @ 4.15pm

    

Below report courtesy of www.hoganstand.com

Goals aplenty in Breffni stalemate

13 May 2007

Cavan and Down played out a 2-11 to 3-8 draw in the preliminary round of the Ulster SFC at Breffni Park.

Substitute Jonathan Crowe grabbed Cavan’s vital second goal a minute from the end, just when the game seemed to be slipping away from the hosts.

Down had many chances to close out the match but ultimately needed a leveller from Ronan Murtagh three minutes into injury time to secure the rematch.

In the end, the draw was a fair result as it was a scrappy, frenzied affair that neither team deserved to win. Both sides will benefit from the extra game as they have a lot of improving to do if they’re to make any impression in this year’s knockout season.

Larry Reilly opened the scoring with a lovely trademark point on seven minutes. Down had earlier recorded three wides but the Mourne men made no mistake when a goal opportunity presented itself a minute later.

Latching onto Aidan Carr’s pass, Benny Coulter caught the leather and turned his man all in one brilliant move. The No.15 picked out Ronan Sexton who dispatched the ball brilliantly past the despairing dive of James Reilly to the top right hand corner of the net.

Daniel Hughes had another poor Down wide and John Clarke – soon to be replaced by Martin Cole - gave Reilly far too much time and space as the Cavan No.12 sent over his second point from play.

Full forward Ger Pierson levelled in the 13th minute with a Reilly style finish off his left boot and Reilly himself was then guilty of missing a better chance than the two he had scored.

Sexton almost got a second goal only to be denied by the Cavan ’keeper, while Jason Reilly uncharacteristically squandered a great opportunity at the other end, miskicking his goal effort badly after Pierson picked him out.

Midfielder Dermot McCabe re-established Cavan’s lead with a booming point from a free: 0-4 to 1-0 with quarter of the match played.

On 20 minutes, Coulter surged through the Cavan defence and sent the goalie the wrong way with a sneaky glance of the eye before blasting to the net – his eleventh championship major. Substitute Cole crept forward to clip a point and suddenly the visitors led by three.

Midfielder Dan Gordon almost notched a third Down three-pointer: his precise shot looked bound for the corner of the net but was excellently saved by James Reilly at full stretch.

Both defences were all over the place and the goal chances were coming thick and fast. Larry Reilly tapped the ball to an exposed Down net after some quick hand-passing from Jason Reilly and Seanie Johnston created the opening.

It was all square again now: 1-4 to 2-1.

Cole again found himself in metres of space close to the Cavan posts and he effortlessly knocked the ball over to restore Down’s lead.

It was Mickey McVeigh’s turn to save a goalbound shot – this one from Jason Reilly – and Coulter was unlucky to be penalised for overcarrying while Michael Hannon was clearly fouling him. Cavan also got the verdict at the other end and Pierson converted a simple free from in front of the posts.

On the forty, Aidan Carr was a threat for Down from open play, executing an array of accurate passes, but disappointingly the manager’s son was guilty of three first-half wides. James McGovern – fouled himself - opted to take the next Down free and his 34th-minute shot went over the bar to give Down a 2-3 to 1-5 interval advantage.

Ray Cullivan and Johnston had late wides before the short whistle but Donal Keoghan’s charges trailed by the minimum at the break despite having played with the assistance of the slight breeze.

Johnston equalised within seconds of the restart and Jason Reilly put Cavan back in front from a free but Down marked their first attack of the second half with their third goal. Sexton was the scorer again, blazing to the net after another Coulter assist.

The Down No.15 surprisingly missed the target before Jason Reilly and Gordon swapped points. Cavan substitute Micheal Lyng almost grabbed the fifth goal of the game on 45 minutes but was blocked off by McVeigh.

The only other scores of a very drab third quarter arrived from the boots of Pierson and Coulter as Down maintained a slight edge at 3-5 to 1-9.

Typifying the poor quality on display, McCabe’s free from the wing dropped into McVeigh’s grateful grasp on 55 minutes.

Cavan substitute Sean Brady made an instant impression when he kicked a nice point within seconds of entering the fray. With eight minutes left, the Mourne men held a slender one-point cushion.

With the No.30 on his back, substitute Paul McCumiskey kicked a spectacular point from an acute angle – right-footed from the right wing – to stretch the gap and cramp was causing players from both sides to drop like skittles in a bowling alley.

Ballyholland clubman Ronan Murtagh landed another stellar Down point from a ridiculous angle to put a goal between the combatants. Cavan almost levelled from a goalmouth scramble three minutes from the end, but neither sub Cian Mackey nor McCabe managed to get the decisive touch.

Coulter fired wide when he failed to get any curl on his shot. It was a miss that Down would rue as the insurance point might have finished the Breffni County off.

Unbelievably, a minute from the end, substitute Jonathan Crowe drew Cavan level with a goal. The left-footed shot was hit straight at McVeigh but the experienced netminder fumbled the ball over the line. It was a crucial error from a man who had been instrumental in keeping his side in the match up until then.

What had been a lacklustre match now had a scintillating climax. McCabe’s huge free 30 seconds into stoppage time appeared to have handed Cavan victory but Sexton’s point – a super strike off the outside of his foot - in the third added minute means the teams will have to do it all over again.

The replay will take place at Newry in seven days - on Sunday May 20.

CAVAN - J Reilly; P Brady. E O’Reilly, M Cahill; M Hannon, A Ford, R Flanagan; D McCabe 0-2, L Mulvey; R Cullivan, M McKeever, L Reilly 1-2; J O’Reilly 0-2, G Pierson 0-3, S Johnston 0-1. Subs: M Lyng for Cullivan (42 mins), C Mackey for Johnston (50), N Walsh for Mulvey (55), S Brady 0-1 for Pierson ( 61), J Crowe 1-0 for Brady (63).

DOWN - M McVeigh; D McCartan, D Rooney, K McGuigan; R Murtagh 0-2, B Grant, J Clarke; D Gordan 0-1, J Lynch; J McGovern 0-1, A Carr, R Sexton 2-0; D Hughes, P Downey, B Coulter 1-1. Subs: M Cole 0-2 for Clarke (19 mins), S Kearney for McGovern (48), P Murphy for Lynch (52), P McComiskey 0-1 for Hughes (60).

REF - D Fahy (Longford).

Down training ahead of Sunday's opening Championship game against Cavan.  Included in these photos are St. Michael's own Bryan Sweeney.

Bryan Sweeney, second from left.

 

Bryan Sweeney, second from left.

 

(Photos Courtesy of DownGaa.Net)

 

Cavan v Down

Breffni Park, Cavan Sunday, May 13 Throw-in: 1600 BST Live: Network 2 TV, Radio Ulster Medium Wave and on the BBC NI website

This will be the 27th championship clash in what has been a long and distinguished rivalry between them. The score reads 14-11 in Cavan’s favour with one draw from their previous 26 games. They also met in the preliminary round last year with Down winning by 1-13 to 0-11. Down had a terrible run in the recent NFL, losing six and drawing one of their seven Division 1B games. That followed two successive defeats in last year’s championship which means that their last win in a major game was against Cavan in the Ulster SFC on May 7th last year.

Cavan won promotion from Division 2 this year after winning five and drawing two of seven games. They lost the semi-final to Roscommon.
Next Sunday’s winners will play Monaghan in the Ulster quarter-final on June 10th.
 
 
 Last 10 SFC Clashes -  Down 6, Cavan 3, Draws 1.

2006  Down                 1-13         Cavan                 0-11 (Ulster preliminary round)
2004  Cavan                 3-13         Down                 2-12 (Replay)
2004  Cavan                 1-13        Down                 1-13 (Ulster quarter-final)
2001  Cavan                 1-14        Down                 2-10 (Ulster quarter-final)
1996  Down                 1-13         Cavan                 0-13 (Ulster semi-final)
1978  Down                 2-19        Cavan                 2-12 (Ulster final)
1976  Cavan                 1-18         Down                 0-11 (Ulster semi-final)
1975  Down                 1-13         Cavan                 1-10 (Ulster final replay)
1974  Down                 2-8         Cavan                 0-12 (Ulster quarter-final)
1973  Down                 1-7         Cavan                 0-8  (Ulster quarter-final)



Last years matches
Cavan - Played 2, Lost 2.

Down                 1-13         Cavan                 0-11 (Ulster preliminary round)
Kildare         1-18        Cavan                 1-13 (Round 1 qualifier)

Down - Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2.

Down                 1-13         Cavan                 0-11 (Ulster preliminary round)
Donegal         1-12         Down                 1-11 (Ulster quarter final)
Sligo                 1-7         Down                 0-4 (Round 1 qualifier)

(Courtesy of Hogan Stand.Com)

Down assistant manager DJ Kane will be banished to the stand for Sunday’s Ulster SFC first round clash with Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park.

The Newry Shamrocks man was hit with a two-month suspension following an incident during the Mourne County’s final round defeat to Galway in the NFL last month. The former All-Ireland winning captain’s ban expires on June 2, which means he would be allowed to return to the sideline for a potential Ulster quarter-final against Monaghan on June 10.

The ban is unlikely to effect Down too much as it has become common for assistant managers and selectors to watch games from the stands in recent years.

(Courtesy of Hogan Stand.Com)

St. Michael's Bryan Sweeney has been included in the Down Senior Panel for this year's Championship, starting with a game away to Cavan on 13th May.  Bryan and brother Neill have both been training with the Down squad since the start of the year.

Both were used during the McKenna Cup games; whilst Bryan was selected as a squad member in a number of League Games.

Brendan Grant and Eoin McCartan have been recalled to the Down football squad for this year's Championship.

Both men missed Down's disappointing league campaign but they are included in a 34-man championship squad.

Absentees include injured trio Liam Doyle, Ambrose Rodgers and Alan Molloy with Doyle and Rodgers likely to be out for some months.

Those set to sample the championship for the first time include Jack Lynch, Aidan Burns and Brendan McGourty.

Other squad members who have not played in the championship previously include Kevin McGuigan, Adrian Carville, John Boyle, Packie Downey, Brian Sweeney, Stephen Toner, Colm Murtagh and Darren Cunningham.

Down take on Cavan in the Ulster SFC preliminary round game on 13 May.

---

Down squad: B Connell, M McVeigh, B Grant, D McCartan, D Cunningham, D Rooney, J Clarke, K McGuigan, M Cole, O Henry, P Murphy, R Murtagh, S Toner, C Murtagh, A Carville, C McCrickard, D Gordon, J Lynch, M McClean, P Turley, A Burns, A Carr, B Coulter, B Sweeney, B McGourty, D Hughes, E McCartan, J McGovern, J Boyle, M Walsh, P Downey, P McComiskey, R Sexton, S Kearney.

News Report:  Taken from BBC Sport

Following a league campaign in which Down Seniors failed to win a game, they have been relegated to the newly formed Divison 3 for the 2008 season. 

Amazingly come the Championship game against Cavan (13th May) it will be 12 months since the county seniors last won a competitive game, which came against Cavan in the preliminary round of last years Ulster Championship.

Dr McKenna Cup and National Football League Results

2007 Dr McKenna Cup
7th Jan Down 0-09 Antrim 0-09
14th Jan Down 1-06 UUJ 1-19

21st Jan Donegal 2-11 Down 0-11

2007 National Football League
4th Feb Louth 2-14 Down 1-13
11th Feb Down 0-14 Kildare 1-11
25th Feb Westmeath 0-09 Down 0-07
11th March Down 0-09 Laois 0-13 
25th March Armagh 1-09 Down 0-10 
1st April Down 0-09 Derry 1-12 
8th April Galway 3-11 Down 1-11

Down footballers bow out of Qualifiers away to Sligo

19 June 2006

There was more disappointment for Down football followers when on Saturday, 18th of June in Markievicz Park, Sligo they saw their side go under to a superior home side in the opening round of the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-4.

This was a game that the Mourne side were expected to win – and get their championship hopes back on track after their recent narrow Ulster SFC defeat away to Donegal. However, it was not to be, as the Ulster side never played to their full potential in what was a low-key game played in excellent conditions.

In the opening half, Sligo with the aid of the breeze played the more direct football and were ahead at the break by 1-3 to 0-3. It was expected that Down would come back strongly in the second-half, but this was far from the case. A Benny Coulter shot in the early minutes of the second-half looked destined for goal but came off the crossbar and after this let-off it was the home side who upped their game and increased their lead to 1-7 to 0-3 with ten minutes of the game remaining.

In the closing minutes the Down side tried hard to get through for scores that would bring them back into the game. However, Sligo now with the scent of victory defended in numbers and with former All-Star Eamon O’Hara to the fore held out for a deserved six points success.

This latest defeat is a major setback for Down football especially at senior level. In this game they were devoid of a game-plan, and played without either commitment or conviction. Indeed, the whole Down set-up – players and management alike lacked leadership, and with it bring to an end a sorry and disappointing championship season for the Mourne county at senior level.

Sligo – P. Greene; Charlie Harrison, Noel Maguire, R. Donovan 0-1; B. Kivlehan, P. McGovern, Karl O’Neill; Eamon O’Hara, B. Egan; Tony Taylor, Mark Brehony 0-3 from frees, Padraig Doohan; K. Sweeney, Sean Davey 1-1, one free, A. Marren.
Sub – Paul Taylor 0-1 for Marren; John McPartland 0-1 for T. Taylor.

Down – B. McVeigh; M. Cole, B. Grant, D. Rafferty; P. Murphy, Alan Molloy, A. Scullion; A. Rogers, Dan Gordon; M. Doran, Liam Doyle 0-1 free, Ronan Murtagh; R. Sexton, Benny Coulter, D. Hughes 0-2, 0-1.
Subs – M. Walsh for P. Murphy; M. Poland for R. Sexton; C. Laverty for M. Doran; A. Carr 0-1 from a ’45’ for D. Hughes and J. Colgan for R. Murtagh.

Referee – D. Coldrick from Meath.

(Taken from www.hoganstand.com)

Donegal get the better of Down

04 June 2006

The 2006 Ulster SFC finally came to life as youthful Donegal came strong in the second half of a thriller to see off Down by a point, 1-12 to 1-11, at Ballybofey.

The prize for the victors is a provincial semi-final against Derry, while Down are into the first round of the qualifiers (against Sligo) in spite of their victory over Cavan, which now counts for nothing.

Donegal were fitter and sharper, and probably deserved to win by more than a single point. In the end, they had to live on their nerves before the final whistle sent the home support into a state of euphoria.

Donegal went into an early lead with a point from a free by Michael Doherty after a foul by the other No.15 Michael Walsh. Dan Gordon burst through to equalise but wing back Eamonn McGee restored Donegal’s lead after the Mourne County survived a penalty appeal.

Another impressive Doherty free – off the ground from the right wing with his right boot – extended the differential. However, in the ninth minute, Down went in front against the run of play: closely-marked captain Benny Coulter intelligently picked out his colleague Daniel Hughes and the No.13 wasted no time in firing an unstoppable drive past the exposed Paul Durcan to the net.

But Conal Dunne replied instantly with his first-ever championship point: 0-4 to 1-1 and no wides in the opening twelve minutes.

Down’s John Clarke was the first player to miss the target and some desperate Donegal defending culminated in a foul on marauding midfielder Ambrose Rogers, with Hughes accurately obliging from the resultant free. Under pressure, Donegal stalwart Michael Hegarty fired wide but Rory Kavanagh skilfully executed the hosts’ fifth point following excellent midfield fetching by Noel Gallagher.

Liam Doyle (Down) and Barry Monaghan (Donegal) each saw yellow for an off-the-ball exchange and Rogers sent a 45 wide. Centre forward Doyle floated over the lead point from a left-footed free on the right 25 minutes in.

Ronan Murtagh became the third player to pick up a yellow card and Doherty then missed an easier free than the two he had knocked over

Down opened a two-point gap with an excellent flowing move involving Doyle and Murtagh (who converted), and Hughes pointed off his right foot from an acute angle after bizarrely crawling through his marker’s legs!

Two minutes from the end, Kavanagh jinked past Alan Molloy and registered Donegal’s first score in 14 minutes to bring the gap down to two, 1-5 to 0-6. Down corner back Martin Cole had to be alert to see off Donegal’s next raid and Doyle missed by a few feet in the last minute of first-half normal time.

But Doyle was on hand to clip over his second point after Donegal full back Paddy Campbell had beaten Coulter to the trademark direct delivery. Doherty spurned another relatively simple free two minutes into stoppage time and Adrian Scullion picked up a yellow card seconds before the half-time whistle blew with Down ahead by a goal, 1-6 to 0-6.

Coulter improvised brilliantly to punch the ball over the bar in the second minute of the second half after a soccer-style Down move and half back Barry Dunnion quickly replied.

The sides were level by the 38th minute when Kavanagh breached the Down rearguard with a blistering shot to the roof of the net. Dunnion had caught Down sleeping and picked out the No.12 as Donegal ruled the left wing of their attack. A defining score.

Down’s Paul Murphy became the third wing back to register a score in this match, putting the Mourne men back in front with a good point, and Donegal No.14 Dunne made it 1-8 apiece with a tremendous left-footed effort over the shoulder.

Hegarty had Donegal back in front with a mighty point ten minutes after the restart.

Walsh restored parity when his shot crept inches inside the post but Donegal had no such fortune at the other end as they struck the woodwork twice in a minute. First, Doherty’s free came back off the post and then (following excellent perseverance from Dunne) Ciaran Bonner saw his low goal effort beat Down goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh only to hit the butt of the same post and rebound to safety.

McVeigh kept his team in it with a fine save after Christy Toye’s first score had edged Brian McIver’s team back in front. Fourteen minutes from the end, Murtagh gave the Mournes renewed hope with a shot that was palmed over the bar by Durcan, 1-10 apiece.

With Down struggling noticeably in the sapping heat, Hegarty struck another inspirational Donegal score in the 58th minute. Down subs Mark Doran and Conal Laverty received yellows within a minute of each other, while Adrian Sweeney announced his arrival with a magnificent point for the buoyant home team, 1-12 to 1-10.

Hughes and Doran both missed chances to close the gap. As Donegal tried to play down the clock, Doyle closed the gap to one with a 69th-minute free. Down swarmed forward desperately in search of an injury-time equalising score as a succession of Donegal players went to ground in an effort to waste time.

With the tension mounting and three extra minutes due to be played, Down were awarded a late free FIVE minutes into injury time. It was a perfect situation for Doyle but the No.11 had been substituted and Hughes’ effort with the outside of the boot went well wide.

Donegal: P Durcan; N McGee, P Campbell, K Lacey; E McGee (0-1), M Hegarty (0-2), B Dunnion (0-1); N Gallagher, B Monaghan; C Toye (0-1), C Bonner, R Kavanagh (1-2); C Kelly, C Dunne (0-2), M Doherty (0-2). Subs: B Boyle, A Sweeney (0-1), D Diver

Down: B McVeigh; M Cole, B Grant, A Molloy; P Murphy (0-1), J Clarke, A Scullion; A Rogers, D Gordon (0-1); E McCartan, L Doyle (0-3), R Murtagh (0-2); D Hughes (1-2), B Coulter (0-1), M Walsh (0-1). Subs: M Doran, C Laverty, D Rafferty, R Sexton, J Colgan

Courtesy of  www.hoganstand.com

Sunday 7th May 2006 Casement Park Belfast

ESB Ulster Minor Football Championship   Down 1-13 Vs Cavan 1-16

BOI Ulster Senior Football Championship   Down 1-13 Vs Cavan 0-11

Benny Coulter’s 55th-minute goal was the decisive score as Down recorded a 1-13 to 0-11 preliminary round Ulster SFC victory over Cavan at Casement Park.

The sides were level at the break even though Down had FIVE excellent first-half goal chances. Paddy O’Rourke’s captain Benny Coulter uncharacteristically spurned three of those opportunities and Cavan could consider themselves fortunate to be on terms, 0-6 apiece, at the break.

Larry Reilly got the first score of the 2006 senior football championship when he gave Cavan the lead with a lovely left-footed point from an acute angle after two and a half minutes.

Down got the next two points and Cavan keeper James Reilly twice had to be alert to prevent the deadly Coulter from grabbing goals. Larry Reilly levelled for the Breffni men but Down weren’t long answering.

Michael Walsh, with his second score from play, and Ger Pierson traded scores as the sides remained tied, 0-3 each, but Eoin McCartan was on hand to edge the Red & Black back ahead 13 minutes from the start.

In the 20th minute, Seanie Johnston pointed for Cavan and the Breffni men moved ahead. Three minutes from the break, Coulter again found time and space in front of the Cavan posts but the Down full forward was thwarted by Reilly for the third time.

Coulter was winning all the high balls heading in his direction and he gathered another in the 24th minute and set up Ambrose Rogers for the score that brought the teams level for the fifth time, 0-5 each.

Daniel Hughes had Down’s next goal chance but the Saval clubman’s shot flew high over the bar – 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of the Mourne County. Interestingly, Coulter was the architect again after capitalising on another direct ball through the middle.

Wing back Damien Rafferty missed an open goal when he kicked wide from directly in front of the posts with only Reilly to beat and Johnstone converted another free at the other side as Cavan levelled the scores once again, 0-6 each after 32 minutes.

Liam Doyle was badly off target with Down’s fifth wide just before the interval and the half-time whistle sounded with nothing in it.

Dan Hughes’s second point (free) saw Down move back in front within a minute of the resumption but raiding Cavan defenders immediately tied matters up again: full back Padraig Reilly set up Paul Brady for the Breffni County’s seventh point.

Coulter placed Walsh for his third point and the No.15 popped up with the next score to put two points between the teams for the first time: 0-9 to 0-7 in favour of the Down men.

Johnston had a wide before stroking over his third point, this time from play, twelve minutes after the break.

Both sides had a number of bad wides before Coulter finally got his goal in the 55th minute. A long ball in behind the Cavan defence isolated the No.14 in a one-on-one with goalie Reilly and he calmly flicked the ball over the head of the Cavan netminder to make it 1-9 to 0-8.

Johnston was Cavan’s best player and he kicked two more points – one from a very debatable free – to bring his tally to five and edge the Blues within two – 1-9 to 0-10 with 12 minutes left.

Dan McCartan got a yellow card after what look like a dive from Larry Reilly and Johnston popped over the resultant free as Cavan’s remarkable revival continued. Scoreless for 15 minutes, they had knocked over three points in three minutes!

In the 62nd minute, Down broke and Coulter held off his marker to set up substitute Ronan Murtagh for his team’s tenth point. Three minutes later, Walsh registered for the fifth time: 1-11 to 0-11 with Down turning the screw.

Supersub Murtagh sealed it with another wonderful strike in the last minute of normal time. Dan Gordon was sent off for two yellow cards late on and Hughes kicked a late free to confirm Down’s passage to the last eight in Ulster.

(Courtesy of www.hoganstand.com)

Down captain Benny Coulter has recovered from a hand injury to take his place in the team to face Cavan in the first round of the Ulster Championship at Casement Park on Sunday 7th May.

Coulter missed the latter stages of the National football League due to a hand injury, but much to the relief of all Down Gaels, he has been passed fit to play.

Cavan are not expected to name their starting XV until Saturday night as they are sweating over the fitness of experienced forwards Jason and Larry Reilly.

Down team to face Cavan in the Ulster Championship: B McVeigh, M Cole, B Grant, D McCartan; P Murphy, J. Clarke, D Rafferty, A Molloy, D Gordan, E McCartan; A Rodgers, D Hughes, L Doyle, B Coulter, M Walsh.

(Coutesy of www.hoganstand.com)