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Down 2-5
Cork 1-10
Down
manager, Gerard Coulter, is calm
among the storm. ( Photo: Patrick
Murphy)
Down were
desperately unlucky to lose this
National Hurling League match to
Cork in Ballygalget. Dogged by
crucial refereeing decisions, Gerard
Coulter’s men played with pride and
passion in a series of snow storms,
against the recent double-All
Ireland winners.
Playing with
the wind, Down went two points
behind in the first ten minutes.
But two points from Gareth Johnston
and one from Andy Savage set them on
their way and a well-taken goal by
Paddy Coulter left them 1-4 to 0-4
ahead after 25 minutes.
Cork’s
multiple All Star, Joe Deane, finds
the going tough against Down’s Liam
Clarke. (Photo: Patrick Murphy)
The match was
then halted for ten minutes because
of a snow blizzard. On the
resumption Cork were awarded a
penalty. Down keeper, Graham
Clarke, was alert to notice that
Cork had produced their own ball,
rather than the match ball, for the
puck.
While the
referee should have given a throw
ball for this infringement, he
allowed Cork to take with the
penalty. Clarke saved brilliantly
and a further point by Paddy Coulter
left Down ahead by 1-5 to 0-5 at
half-time.
A goal from
Gareth Johnston put them 2-5 to 0-6
ahead six minutes into the second
half, but that was to be their last
score against a gale force wind.
Brendan McGourty sets himself
up for a Down point against Cork. .
( Photo: Patrick Murphy)
The Down
defence played well throughout with
new boy, Fintan Conway, giving
another stirring display at corner
back. Paddy Coulter had a good
game at corner forward.
Overall, the
team’s emphasis on stick-work in
recent training sessions is
beginning to pay off, but they could
still learn a lesson from Cork’s
ability to pass the ball.
A few passes in
the closing minutes might have
earned them the draw they deserved,
but they can still take pride from
their best ever display against the
mighty Cork.
Team: Graham
Clarke, Liam Clarke, Stephen Murray,
Fintan Conway, Michael Ennis, Paddy
Hughes, Gabriel Clarke, Andy Savage,
Brendan McGourty, Kieran Courtney
(John Murphy, 55 mins), Gareth
Johnston, Darren Flynn (Sean Ennis,
55 mins), Paddy Coulter, Emmet
Trainor, Eoin Clarke.
Scorers: G
Johnston (1-2), P Coulter (1-1), B
McGourty (0-1), A Savage (0-1).
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