Down over come Derry for the first time in 10 Years - 18/02/2004

National Football League - Division 2B
Round 3: Down 2-10 v Derry 2-06 @ Newcastle 2.30 pm, Sunday 15th Feb 2004

The clash of these two Ulster sides went the way of Down as their dynamic second half performance earned the Mourne men the win over struggling Derry in this Division 2B tie at Newcastle on Sunday February 15th and get Down's promotion campaign back on track.

After disappointing draws at home to Tipperary on the first day of the league and then away to Wicklow in the last round, the pressure was mounting on O'Rourkes men, but they responded well in this battle of ulster.

Colin McCrickard opened the scoring for Down after seven minutes before Con Moran replied for Derry. Gregory McCartan made a return to the Down side and the midfielder put them in front shortly after.

The first of the strange decisions from referee Henry came just before the break, Sexton again the provider as he set up Hughes who found the net. Celebrations were cut short, though, as play was brought back for a foul and frustration was exacerbated as the resultant free was missed.

Corner forward Ciaran Mullan pointed twice to put Derry back in front but a goal by Liam Doyle swung the pendulum in Down's favour once again. Almost immediately though Derry were awarded a penalty and Conleth Gilligan made no mistake in converting the spot kick to leave the half time scores 1-4 to 1-2 in favour of the Oak Leaf county.

Whatever O’Rourke said to his team at the interval had the desired effect as they emerged on the field in determined fashion and soon put themselves in front with a hat-trick of points. Points from Dan Gordon, John Clarke and McCartan. The sides exchanged points throughout the second half, and it looked set for a close finish.

Derry brought on Enda Muldoon with ten minutes remaining and with almost his first touch he scored a goal and Eamon Burke pointed to put two points between the sides.

Down’s strength of reserves were now being tested to the full, as was their patience when the referee pulled back the play following what looked like a perfectly legitimate goal by Coulter.

With home fans understandably crying foul, and the free once again slipping by the upright, it looked bleak for the home side but, in the face of adversity, they rallied and pegged the tired looking Derry players back in their own half.

Down came back and when Benny Coulter punched the ball to the net a minute into injury time, Doyle and McCartan followed up with points to earn the Mourne men the victory.

Down - B McVeigh, D McCartan, A Molloy, S Scullion, M Cole, A Shield, S Farrell, G McCartan 0-4, B Coulter 1-0, L Doyle 1-2, J Clarke 0-1, C McCrickard 0-1, D Hughes, D Gordon 0-1, R Sexton.
Subs: G McCrickard 0-1 for C McCrickard, P Turley for B Coulter

Derry - B Gillis, C McWilliams, K McCloy, D Scullion, R Lynch, K McGuckin, F McEldowney, F Doherty, P Bradley, C O’Brien, C Gilligan 1-1, C Moran 0-3, P O’Neill, G McGonigle, C Mullan 0-3.
Subs: E Muldoon 1-0 for G McGonigle, E Burke 0-1 for P O’Neill, J Bradley for C O’Brien, F McEldowney for C Moran, P Wilson for D Scullion

Referee - M Henry (Cavan).

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