By Cóilín Duffy (Taken from
Hoganstand.com)
Down 1-19
Tyrone 0-21
Champions Tyrone were dumped out of the Ulster
SFC after extra time as Down showed wonderful
character in the game of the championship
so far.
It was dramatic, an epic, and there was superb
football on an evening whene Down footballers
sparkled at Páirc Esler in Newry in
a rare victory for the Mournesiders over Tyrone
in a magical contest that went to extra-time
before the hosts eventually emerged one point
winners, in this Ulster SFC quarter-final
replay.
Down manager Ross Carr may have been given
another extended period of ’interim
relief’ from the DRA, as he awaits further
news of his eight-week suspension appeal;
but Carr experienced relief of a different
sort after this game, as he expressed his
delight at the nature of this minimum margin
result.
The attendance of 18,272 certainly got full
value for their money, although some supporters
missed out on the dramatics of the closing
stages of normal time and the brilliance by
both sides in extra-time, after they felt
that they had seen enough in the closing stages
of the opening 70 minutes.
A 15 minute delay due to traffic congestion
just added to the drama and when referee Pat
McEnaney eventually got the game underway
at 7:15pm, it was sizzling football from the
off.
Down’s one-point win over Tyrone resembled
more like an All-Ireland victory than a first
round Ulster tie, such were the scenes of
joy witnessed at the full-time whistle.
Ross Carr’s men possessed a never say-die
attitude and dug deep as Benny Coulter and
man of the match Liam Doyle gave inspirational
performances, to cement a semi-final spot
against either Armagh or Cavan, who meet in
the final Ulster SFC quarter-final tie this
afternoon at Kingspan Breffni Park.
Eager to dismiss the critics view, that Down
had left the game behind them in last Sunday’s
encounter at Healy Park, the hosts began this
game with vigour and Ambrose Rodgers set the
tone with a fisted point after just 28 seconds.
But Tyrone weren’t lying down and responded
with three points on the trot, as brothers
Colm and Sean Cavanagh shared a trio of scores,
and helped Tyrone led by 0-3 to 0-1 after
six minutes.
Aidan Carr level the minimum between the
sides with a Down score, but this was a firm
purple patch by Mickey Harte’s charges
and with the Cavanagh’s, Ryan Mellon
and Colm McCullough on song they could do
no wrong.
The sides were level on two occasions during
that opening half with both sides certainly
fuelled up, but it was Sean Cavanagh’s
second point, which gave his side an 0-8 to
0-7 cushion at the interval.
Both sides had missed opportunities in the
opening stages of the second half before Martin
Penrose took his only score of the contest,
to give Tyrone a two point lead in as many
minutes, after the restart.
The sides were level on three occasions inside
the middle third but a Liam Doyle effort saw
Down brake clear as the game entered the fourth
quarter.
Down certainly had the momentum at this stage
and when Coulter sent over his second point,
with a fisted effort with ten minutes remaining,
it sent the large home support into raptures
as they broke into a 0-14 to 0-11 lead.
But this game was far from over and the man
who orchestrated the comeback was 57th minute
substitute Tommy McGuigan, who really turned
the game on it’s head and miraculously
scored five points in the closing 13 minutes,
including four unanswered points, with the
all important extra-time clinching one in
the third minute of injury-time.
Down had been reduced to 14-men at this stage,
following the dismissal of half-back Damien
Rafferty, who added a second yellow card to
his 24th minute one on the stroke of the 70th
minute, as the hosts were down a man.
But they were back to a full complement of
players for extra-time with Kevin McGuigan
replacing the dismissed Rafferty.
However it was Tyrone who burst out of the
blocks in extra-time with four points on the
trot inside six minutes, with McGuigan, Sean
Cavanagh, Philip Jordan and McCullagh all
on target.
The switch of Sean Cavanagh to midfield was
certainly proving effective, but Down weren’t
keen to rest on their laurels as corner forward
Coulter masterminded a comeback.
Aidan Carr edged Down within three points
of the visitors before a Coulter point, and
then a fisted goal from the Mayobridge man,
coupled with a fifth Liam Doyle point; edged
Down into a two point lead, for the first
time in extra-time.
Down lead at half-time of extra-time by 1-19
to 0-20, with Down’s Under 21 captain
this year James Colgan replacing Daniel McCartan
at the break.
Tyrone kept pressing hard at a determined
Down side in the second half of extra-time,
and although Down failed to get a score in
the closing ten minutes, they somehow held
out for a fabulous win, despite Colm McCullagh
taking his fourth point, just 18 seconds after
the restart.
The introduction of Colin Holmes promised
much for the Red Handers, but Down weren’t
too be denied and a pitch invasion as the
sun set on Pairc Esler, was a fitting end
to a marvellous Down triumph, but they will
be aware that no silverware is won in June
and a long road lies ahead.
Down - B McVeigh; L Howard, D McCartan, P
Murphy (0-1); A Carr (0-4, 3f, 1 45), L Doyle
(0-5, 5f), D Rafferty; D Gordon (0-1), J Lynch;
A Rodgers (0-1), R Murtagh, D Hughes; J Clarke
(0-1), R Sexton, B Coulter (1-3). Subs - P
McCumiskey for Lynch (46); K McKernan (0-1)
for Clarke (52); S Kearney for Murtagh (69);
K McGuigan starts in place of sent off Rafferty
for ET; J Colgan for McCartan (HTET); J Clarke
for Murphy (90).
Tyrone - J Devine; R McMenamin, Justin McMahon,
PJ Quinn; D Harte, C Gourley, P Jordan (0-1);
C Gormley, Joe McMahon; B Dooher, R Mellon
(0-1), C Cavanagh (0-4, 4f); M Penrose (0-1),
S Cavanagh (0-4, 1f), C McCullagh (0-4, 1f).
Subs - K Hughes for C Cavanagh (inj) (31);
P Donnelly for Hughes (46); T McGuigan (0-6,
5f) for Mellon (57); M McGee for Quinn (81);
C Holmes for Gourley (82)
Ref - Pat McEnaney (Monaghan)
