Down 2-14 Laois 1-15
A
fiery first half display was enough to see
Down through to the third round of the SFC
qualifiers as they overcame hosts Laois
at O'Moore Park tonight.
John Clarke and Benny Coulter both found
the net as Down continued their goal glut
- they scored five against Offaly last week
- and took a 2-11 to 0-08 lead into the
break.
Teenager Donie Kingston's personal haul
of 1-05 gave Laois some hope but Down, who
had their captain Dan Gordon sent-off, stubbornly
held on.
Laois almost sent the game to extra-time
in the dying seconds when substitute MJ
Tierney was presented with a goal-scoring
chance. However, his effort went the wrong
side of the crossbar and gave the Midlanders
a point which meant very little in the end.
Down's win was all about their blistering
start as they gave a repeat performance
of their magnificent display against Offaly
last weekend, bursting out of the blocks
in the opening minutes.
The Mourne men started strongly, and led
by 1-04 to 0-01 after just ten minutes,
with corner-forward John Clarke engineering
a ninth-minute goal, while both Coulter
and Aidan Carr also got on the scoresheet.
Coulter, Clarke and Carr continued to torment
an out-of-sorts Laois defence, who lapsed
for a second time in the 26th minute when
Coulter bulged the net to create a nine-point
gap.
Brian McCormack was a solid presence in
the Laois half-forward line throughout this
encounter. The Portlaoise man finished with
three points, including Laois' third point
in the 13th minute.
The O'Moore men kept in touch in the final
seven minutes of the half with scores from
Kingston and Colm Parkinson, and they were
unlucky not to edge closer after half-back
Pauric McMahon popped up for a goal effort.
But he watched his shot blast wide of the
target as Down held onto their convincing
lead.
McMahon was injured in the process as Down
corner-back Colm Murney marshalled him strongly,
and although the Ballyroan defender continued
until the break he failed to show on the
restart. David Murphy was introduced in
his place.
Buoyed on by the introduction of Ross Munnelly
and Murphy at half-time, Liam Kearns' side
were a changed outfit on the restart.
Confirming this, the large home support
sprang to their feet as teenager Kingston
rocked the Down net, two-and-a-half minutes
after the restart, adding to an earlier
Munnelly point.
Laois continued to pile on pressure following
Gordon's dismissal for a clash with Pauric
Clancy.
The hosts held Down to just one point in
the third quarter as they cut the gap to
four points, following 'Bruno' McCormack's
third score of the contest.
Down rallied as centre-back Carr converted
his fourth free, but Laois dug deep with
Tierney converting back-to-back frees to
leave a goal between the sides at 2-13 to
1-13, with seven minutes remaining.
Corner-back Cahir Healy stepped up to the
mark with his first Championship point a
minute later, and with Down misfiring on
three occasions in as many minutes, Laois
had a real chance to steal this game.
However, Kevin McKernan put Down three
points clear as the game entered injury-time
and although the Laois attack created a
chance for Tierney to slot to the net, he
failed to seize the opportunity as Down
booked their place in tomorrow's third round
draw.
Laois: M Nolan; J Higgins, T Kelly, C Healy
(0-01); P O'Leary, D Rooney, P McMahon;
P Clancy, B Quigley; B Brennan (0-01), B
McCormack (0-03), B Sheehan; C Parkinson
(0-01), C Kelly (St Joseph's), D Kingston
(1-05, 4f).
Subs used: M Timmons for Rooney (27 mins),
R Munnelly (0-01, 1f) for Kelly, D Murphy
for McMahon (both half-time), MJ Tierney
(0-03, 2f) for Brennan (53), C Kelly (Stradbally)
for McCormack (67).
Down: B McVeigh; M Cole, L Howard, C Murney;
P Murphy (0-01), A Carr (0-04, 4f), K McGuigan;
D Gordon, A Rodgers (0-01); R Murtagh (0-01),
K McKernan (0-03), J Fegan (0-01); D Hughes,
B Coulter (1-02), J Clarke (1-01).
Subs used: P Turley for Cole (17 mins),
J Lynch for Fegan (46), R Sexton for Clarke
(59), S Kearney for Murphy, J McGovern for
Hughes (both 66).
Referee: Derek Fahy (Longford).
