Taken from Down Democrat
Benny Coulter gets away with the Ball during
Longford Game
DOWN got back on the winning
trail with an exciting Allianz Division Three
victory over Longford in the rain of Pairc
Esler on Saturday evening.
Ross Carr started the iconic
Benny Coulter and the speedy, skilful Paul
McComiskey for the first time this season.
Also he drafted into the side Downpatrick’s
Peter Turley and Bryansford full back Luke
Howard.
Down began like the proverbial train with
Daniel Hughes, Ronan Murtagh, Paul McComiskey
and Ronan Sexton in stunning form and Liam
Doyle a rock at centre-half back.
Indeed after 13 minutes the Mourne side led
0-05 to 0-02 and looked determined and confident.
At the break the home team had increased that
advantage to 0-10 to 0-06.
Though on the resumption Longford swarmed
forward in numbers and within five minutes
of the restart had levelled and even went
in front on 45 minutes.
Down however, stuck to their task and, with
Benny Coulter playing an increasingly important
role, the Mourne side finished as they started
and were well worth their three-points victory
margin.
McComiskey fired over the opening score on
two minutes though Francie Magee levelled
at the other end a couple of minutes later.
Then Down knocked over four points in quick
succession - from Hughes (2), Murtagh and
Sexton with Longford only able to reply from
midfielder Kevin Mulligan.
John Clarke in action during Longford Game
Magee pulled another back for the visitors
but the electric-heeled Hughes and the surging
Murtagh added two more magical scores as Down
raced into a 7-2 advantage.
Benny Coulter hit his opening point of the
match on 24 minutes with John Fegan finding
the target twice as the break approached.
Though in final minutes of the half Magee
and James Martin pointed for the visitors.
On the resumption Longford came out with all
guns blazing with corner forward Brian Kavanagh
causing quite a few problems and scoring twice.
Plus Martin and Magee tagged on another couple
of points to square matters at 10 apiece.
Down, who had looked so comfortable in the
opening half, suddenly were in deep trouble.
Were we about to see another collapse?
Last year and for the past number of years
that might have been the case but Ross and
DJ Kane have instilled a new spirit in the
side and the inspirational Paul McComiskey
restored the Mourne lead on 42 minutes.
Longford too showed a bit of devil with first
Kavanagh equalising and then Martin putting
the visitors in front on 45 minutes for the
first time in the match.
Still Daniel Hughes brought a huge cheer from
the Down fans as he soloed down the right
to level with a mighty effort.
In most close contests you need a little bit
of luck and Down got that break on 47 minutes
when Brendan McVeigh made a great stop from
Declan Farrell with Kavanagh thudding the
rebound off the under-side of the Mourne crossbar.
Benny Coulter made Longford pay for those
misses when he fired over a couple magnificent
points in a three-minute spell to give Down
a two-point lead.
Farrell however, brought gap back to one as
the match moved into the final 14 minutes.
John Clarke and Sean McCormack traded points
and Kavanagh once more pulled the sides together
with seven minutes remaining.
McComiskey and Clarke once again pushed the
Mourne warriors two points ahead and then
in the final minutes that man Coulter celebrated
his first full match of the season by hitting
over a couple of super scores. And though
Magee grabbed his fourth point for the visitors,
it proved to be just a consolation and Down
were worthy winners.
Down: Brendan McVeigh, Luke Howard, Gary McArdle,
Martin Cole, Ronan Murtagh (0-02), Liam Doyle,
Declan Rooney, Peter Turley, Ambrose Rodgers,
John Fegan (0-03), Paul McComiskey (0-03),
Daniel Hughes (0-04, John Clarke (0-1), Benny
Coulter (0-05) and Ronan Sexton (0-01) with
subs: Dan McCartan, Damian Rafferty, Kevin
McKernan, Dan Gordon and Stephen Kearney.
Longford: Damian Sheridan, Dermot Bradley,
Noel Farrell, Cathal Conefrey, David Barden,
Arthur O’Connor, Paul Kelly, Liam Keenan,
Kevin Mulligan (0-01), Declan Farrell (0-01),
Francie Magee (0-05), Padraig Berry, Jamesy
Martin (0-04), Paddy Dowd, Brian Kavanagh
(0-05) with subs: declan Reilly, Noel Farrell
and Sean McCormack (0-1).
