The Down Ladies team drew with Kildare in a highly competitive and entertaining game in Saval on Sunday. Down produced a much-improved performance on their first qualifier game against Meath and were unlucky not to win, as Kildare hit the equalizer in the last nail biting minute.

The tone of the game was set from the throw in as both teams fought tenaciously for the first possession. Kildare were quickly on the scoreboard though, thanks to Aideen McBride. She pointed following a neat interplay between Simone Gilabert and forward Aisling Jennings. They doubled their lead a minute later with an excellent point from Gilabert who pointed from distance. Down had early chances also with Bredagh player Emma Mulhern unlucky to have her shot blocked wide on the right after a long sideline ball from half forward Michaela Downey. The mourne girls finally got onto the scoreline on the five minute mark as a long ball in was captured by Lisa Morgan on the twenty five yard line. She passed the ball in to Downey who turned neatly at struck the ball between the posts. Down equalized almost immediately with Aileen Pyers firing over from a free after a high tackle by her marker. The teams exchanged points up to the half way mark, with Downpatrick player Kyla Trainor hitting an excellent point from wide on the left. Down’s defence was also notable during the half, securing several turnovers and forcing Kildare to over carry. Kildare pressed ahead just after the half way mark as midfielder Noelle early pressed forward. Her pass to Gilabert was passed out to Hazel Mulligan on the edge of the square. Despite the tight angle, she blasted the ball into the top right hand corner giving ‘keeper Emma Madine no chance. Down responded immediately with a point from Pyers and they were unlucky not to close the gap further as Kyla Trainor’s goal effort was blocked and Pyers shot narrowly to the right. They continued to exert the pressure on Kildare, and in the closing minutes of the half Michaela Downey pointed twice to Kildare’s one score from the excellent half back Maria Moolick. Down went into the half time break one point but with all to play for. Half time score Down 0-8 Kildare 1-6.

The second half really saw the Down team step up a gear, playing some of the best football they have produced in the last number of seasons. They hit the back of the net immediately after the break. Forwards Pyers, Downey and Lisa Morgan producing some fast flowing football to put Kyla Trainor through on goal. The Downpatrick player made no mistake, belting the ball low to ‘keeper Catriona Dolan’s right. As the vocal Down support cheered their team on, Trainor again proved pivotal, dispossessing her marker on the twenty yard line before being fouled. Aileen Pyers stepped up and pointed, continuing her excellent free taking form. Kildare attempted to recover from their bad start and pushed forward but had several attacks thwarted by the Down defence’s high workrate and excellent harrying. They eventually made the break through after forty minutes as a high ball in from the right wing dropped just below the Down cross bar and was punched in amid the ensuing scrum. With the sides level, both teams fought for every ball but Kildare nudged ahead through points from Mulligan and centre half forward Aisling Jennings. That was to be the last time Kildare would take the lead as Down pressed back with a tremendous solo run from Castlewellan’s Lisa Morgan who had the better of her market throughout the game. She pressed up the middle of the field before being fouled, leaving Pyers to slot home the easy free.

Kyla Trainor brought the sides level with ten minutes to go after Grainne McClean secured possession before putting Trainor through for the score. With Down having the upper hand, Michaela Downey put them in front after a one two with Saval’s Lyndsey Cunningham. The last minutes proved to be nerve racking as Kildare’s Jennings struck an important free to level the game again. Down almost snatched a goal as a wide ball was struck across the Kildare goalline by Kyla Trainor. Emma Mulhern punched it goal bound but ‘keeper Dolan saved. However, Mulhern did get her score two minutes later as she turned neatly to put Doen ahead, despite four defenders around her. As the final minutes ticked away, Down hearts were broken as Kildare snatched a point with sixty seconds to go, denying the mourne girls a deserved win.

While Down undoubtedly deserved the win, the improvement in their performance will have been very pleasing for both players and managers. They now go into a mouth watering clash with neighbours Armagh in Killeavy next Sunday.

Down team: Emma Madine, Aveen McAvoy, Niamh McGowan, Niamh Lennon, Sinead Fegan, Aoibheann Downey, Eilish McConville (captain), Lyndsey Cunningham, Cora McKibben Kyla Trainor Grainne McClean Michaela Downey, Aileen Pyers, Lisa Morgan, Emma Mulhern. Subs used: Colleen McShane, Sonya McGaw

Management: John McCarthy, Noel Haughey