Down’s Great Escape - By Claire Rogan

Down 3-9 Derry 2-9

Down supporters sitting in stand at Casement Park last Sunday, at the Ulster Junior Championship Camogie semi-final, probably felt something akin to the Liverpool faithful at last week’s Champions League Final.

Three goals (9 points) down at the interval and playing like a team that had never actually played together before, the signs were ominous and it was looking like Down would be relinquishing their Ulster crown without much of a fight.

The opening 30 minutes was all about Derry as they powered their way to a nine point 2-7 to 0-4 interval lead against a Down team who looked nervous and out of sorts as a faster Oak Leaf County led them a merry dance.
 

Perhaps it was the half-time team talk or maybe it was one of those new fangled energy drinks, but whatever it was, it certainly had the effect as Down came storming back in the second half to put the misery of the opening 30 minutes behind them.

 

Derry got the game off to a blistering start when Katie McAuley easily round Down full-back Pauline Green to blasted to the net past Teresa McGowan for their opening goal with less than a minute gone. Grainne McGoldrick pointed shortly afterwards before a Catriona McCrickard point got Down off the mark on six minutes.

Then McAuley struck again. Once more she rounded a flat-footed Down defence and gave McGowan no chance with her second goal on seven minutes as the Oak Leafers raced into a 2-1 to 0-1 lead.

Even at this early stage Down were struggling and with McAuley threatening to run riot Down switched fullback Green with cornerback Moya Maginn. While this move had the resultant effect of effectively snuffing out the influence of McAuley, Derry still kept the pressure on the Mourne girls.

Katriona O’Kane and Sinead Cassidy picked off points to stretch the Derry lead again only for Down to reply through Lisa McCrickard and then Cathy Mulholland.

Catherine McGourty narrowed the Derry lead with a pointed free on 18 minutes but such was Derry’s dominance, McGourty’s point proved to be Down’s last of the opening half.

When McGoldrick added three points (two from frees) and McAuley one, Derry led 2-7 to 0-4 and were looking comfortable going in at the interval.

Down were simply looking out of place against a Derry outfit that was sharper and more determined and didn’t record a single wide during the opening half. Down for their part squandered their chances and never looked comfortable in front of goals.

However, it was to be a different story in the second half.

Within a minute of the re-start Fionnuala Carr had the ball in the back of the Derry net and McGourty almost made it two goals a minute later only to see her shot brilliantly saved by Derry ‘keeper Emma McGovern.

However the Ballinascreen player could do nothing when Karen Gribben collected a McGourty through ball and goaled on seven minutes.

Suddenly it was game on.

Derry added three points through McGoldrick (2) and substitute Aisling Diamond but it was Down who were in the ascendancy.

With the Down revival continuing, McGourty and then Catriona McCrickard narrowed the gap to just three points three mid-way thought the half.

Then Mulholland pointed on 24 minutes, although the same player should have goaled from the edge of the square just minutes earlier. Carr then added a point the crowd could sense a grandstand finish was on the cards…and duly it came.

On 28 minutes McGourty, Down’s playmaker picked up a loose ball on the half-way line, played it into the square where it broke loose only for Karen Gribben to rifle a shot past McGovern and put the Mourne girls in front for the first time, 3-8 to 2-9.

Kelly O’Higgins added a point a minute later and despite some Derry pressure during a surprising 8 minutes of time added on Down survived to complete a great escape.

Following the game, Down manager Bernie McNally was obviously delighted.

“That was a great comeback,” said McNally, “Although to be honest it didn’t look that way at the interval.

“We were poor in the first half and Derry at that stage were the better team.

“I think it was nerves on our part but we had nothing to lose in the second half so the nerves had gone and we played like we can.