Down’s
non-Ards minor hurlers pulled off a
marvellous victory in Drogheda on Saturday
last beating Longford, Monaghan, Cavan
and Louth to be the first name on the
Blitz Iomana shield – the brainchild
of national hurling development Officer
Paudie Butler, and now go forward as
North East Champions to take on the
North West Winners – Sligo in
an All-Ireland Final.
Despite travelling with only sixteen
fit players due to- holidays, gaeltacht,
injuries etc Down’s magnificent
16 did themselves their parents, their
clubs and their county proud with 2
hours of gruelling hurling. The games
were 15 minutes each way on full sized
pitches in the wonderful St Fechins
complex.
First
up came Longford and it proved to be
quite a difficult test with Down edging
home by 1-6 to Longfords 5pts Cormac
Hughes 1-0 Micheál Cunningham
and Danny Grant 0-2 Paul O’Neill
and Paul Mc Aleenan 1pt each. With little
more than a 5 minute break Down had
then to take the field against a big
strong Monaghan outfit. However, Down
stepped up their performance from the
first game. The defence of Danny Hungent,
Conan O’Neill, Aaron O’Hare
Michael Mullan, Gary Courtney and Rowan
Smart were compact while up front the
all-important goal again came courtesy
of Cormac Hughes while also on the points
trail were Micheál Cunningham
0-3 Paul O’Neill 0-3 Danny Grant
Paul McAleenan Cormac Hughes and Karl
Maxwell 0-1 a piece as Down ran out
winners 1-10 to Monaghans 2-4.
Down
then had a well deserved rest before
demolishing Cavan on a scoreline 4-12
to 0-0 with Micheál Cunningham
top scorer with 2-4 and Danny Grant
2-1. Thus the stage was set for the
finale between the only two unbeaten
teams Down and recent Leinster Shield
winners Louth. Louth were coming off
their rest period while Down had got
in some vital shooting practice against
Cavan and what a cracker of a game it
turned out to be.
The
scoreline may suggest a runaway victory
but that would be very wide of the mark.
It was tough, uncompromising and very
skillfull with the prize an All-Ireland
Final meeting with Sligo. IF the defence
and the forwards had won the plaudits
in other games then enter a new hero.-
goalie Colm Mc Cabe – He was simply
superb. He pulled off 2 breathtaking
stops that Noel Keith at his best would
have been proud of while his puckouts
were measured to perfection.
In midfield Paul O’Neill and Karl
Maxwell proved the ideal pairing with
O’Neill’s point taking exemplary
while Maxwell’s workrate, vision,
passing and a superb point proved too
much for plucky Louth. In the end Down
ran out clear and deserved winners 2-12
to 0-5.
Down
scorers Micheál Cunningham and
Paul O’Neill 0-4 a piece Paul
McAleenan and Michael Fegan 1 goal Danny
Grant 0-3 Karl Maxwell 0-1. The Down
team was as follows: Colm Mc Cabe N.Shamrocks,
Danny Nugent Wpoint, Conan O’Neill
Wpoint, Aaron O’Hare Wpoint, Michael
Mullan Bredagh, Gary Courtney N.Shamrocks,
Rowan Smart Bredagh, Paul O’Neill
Ballyvarley, Karl Maxwell Wpoint, Micheál
Cunningham Wpoint, Paul Mc Aleenan Liatroim,
Cormac Hughes Bredagh, Mark Devlin Bredagh,
Danny Grant and Michael Fegan Wpoint,
substitute Blain Murphy Wpoint and Declan
Doherty Bredagh who despite being unable
to field through injury showed commendable
loyalty by travelling with the team.
The team was managed by Ronan Sheehan
and Brian Murphy and the ever efficient
liaison officer Willie Mageean - heroes
all!
At
the conclusion of the blitz ‘The
Blitz Iomána Shield’ was
presented to captain Paul McAleenan
and a beautiful set of medals and so
Down becomes the first name on the new
shield but more importantly Down go
forward to meet Sligo in the final on
a date still to be decided and this
team still have to play the final of
the Ulster ‘B’ League against
Donegal and on the evidence of last
Saturday there may be more honours to
follow.
