| Down
plunder to a draw with Wicklow - 15/02/2004
National
Football League - Division 2B
Round 2: 
Wicklow 1-05 Down 0-08 
@ Aughrim, Co Wicklow 2.00 pm, Sunday 8th Feb 2004
Taken from Down Recorder
Photo's
from Wicklow Game
Liam Doyle
Click to enlarge - Photo taken by Louis McNally
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In a poor exhibition of football,
both sides failed to produce the standard expected of
a senior inter-county fixture.
Down had mechanical trouble on the way to the game —
their bus limped the final 20 miles to Aughrim in second
gear. And it was the same with the match — the players
never got into top gear.
Wicklow dominated in all sectors of the field, especially
midfield where Brendan O’Haideagh and Kevin Clancy were
in control over Benny Coulter and Dan Gordon.
Adrian Scullion, Alan Molloy and Sean Ward worked overtime
in the Down defence while the only two forwards to cause
the Wicklow rearguard any difficulties were Liam Doyle
and John Clarke.
The paucity of both attacks can be seen from the fact
that the last score of the game came in the ninth minute
of the second half when Aidan O’Prey levelled for Down.
However it took a brilliant save by Mickey McVeigh in
the Down goal from Wayne O’Gorman late in the game to
keep his side in the game.
The scores were slow in coming. Trevor
Doyle pointed a Wicklow free after five minutes and
it was midway through the half before John Clarke levelled.
Three minutes later Liam Doyle shot Down ahead. Ten
minutes from half time Wayne O’Gorman finished a Wicklow
move with the only goal of the game.
Two points from John Clarke and Liam Doyle free regained
the Down lead. But in the four minutes before half time
Tommy Gill slotted over three points as Wicklow led
by 1-4 to 0- 6 at half time.
Within two minutes of the restart John Clarke levelled
for Down. Brendan O’Haaideagh lobbed over a long range
Wicklow point to regain the lead. With nine minutes
gone Aidan O’Prey took a John Clarke pass to level the
game for what proved to be the final score.
The final twenty six minutes saw no further scoring.
It was a poor display by both sides and when the final
whistle sounded the spectators were put out of their
misery.
Down: M. McVeigh; B. Ward, A. Molloy, A. Scullion; R.
Sexton, Sean Ward, S. Farrell; B. Coulter, D. Gordon;
L. Doyle (0-2), J. Clarke (0-5), C. McCrickard; E. McCartan,
A. O’Prey (0-1), D. Hughes. Subs: M. Higgins for B.
Ward, S. Kearney for O’Prey, Shane Ward for McCartan;
M. Cole for McCrickard.
Wicklow: P. Hollingsworth; K. Hyland, K. Foley, T. Burke;
A. Foley, G. Doran, C. Davis; K. Clancy, B. O’Haaideagh
(0-1); A. Ellis, T. Doyle (0-1), T. Harney; W. O’Gorman
(1-0), T. Gill (0-3), A. Foley.
Photo's
from Wicklow Game
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