Poor start for O'Rourke - 13/01/03

McKenna Cup - Down 3-07 v Armagh 1-15 - Sunday 12th Jan 2003 @ Ballykinlar

Down Senior Managment Team Down Senior Team
Photos Taken By Louis McNally @ Armagh v Down McKenna Cup Game

After this McKenna Cup game Paddy O'Rourke knows that there is much work to be done between now and the summer when they take on Monaghan in the first round of the Ulster Championship. Armagh who played without any of their All Ireland winning players (due to be on holiday) edged out Down 1 -15 to 3 -07 thanks to two late points from Michaek McNamee and Malachy Mackin.

O'Rourke's men struck first with an Anthony Devlin goal in the third minute. Down almost added another moments later but Armagh goalkeeper Willie McSorley saved Liam Doyle's penalty. At this stage it appeared Down were far too strong for this Armagh outfit.

However the Orchard County who started the game with five U21's battled back and took heart from the penalty stop. Armagh dominating midfield with Philip Loughran and David Turley on top started to come into the game. Martin O'Rourke grabbed two points while Liam O'Hare added four frees to put Armagh into the lead. Burren's Ronan Murtagh netted Down's second goal on the 29th minute. Four minutes before the break Dan Gordon's powerful run penetrated the Armagh rearguard and he blasted to the net to give Down a 3-2 to 0-7 lead.

Down increased their lead at the start of the second half with two Ronan Murtagh frees. As in the first half Armagh slowly came into the game and Barry Shannon, Brian Mallon and Des Mackin all knocked over points before Mackin netted in the final ten minutes. It was the equalising score 3 - 07 to 1 - 13 and Armagh then went in search of a winner.

It duly arrived courtesy of Michael McNamee before Malachy Mackin added the killer point in injury time.

Armagh - W McSorley, S Quinn, M Quinn, A Mallon, K Fearon, P Waters, B Shannon 0-1, P Loughlin, D Turley, M O'Rourke 0-2, M Macken 0-2, L O'Hehir 0-7, B Mallon 0-1, D Macken 1-1, M McNamee 0-1.
Subs: C McKinney for McSorley, B McKeown for S Quinn, C McKeever for Fearon, S Kernan for B Mallon

Down - M McVeigh, B McAleenan, B Burns, M Cole, A Molloy, B Ward, J Clarke, L Doyle 0-1, C McCrickard, D Gordon 1-0, A Devlin 1-0, A O'Prey, J McCartan, B Coulter 0-2, R Murtagh 1-4.
Subs: D McCartan for Molloy, C Kearney for O'Prey, G McCartan for McCrickard, G McMahon for J McCartan

Referee - A McAlynn (Derry)




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