Junior Hurlers through to Ulster Final - 18/05/03

Ulster Junior Hurling Semi Final at Breffni Park Cavan - Saturday 17th May 2003

Cavan 2-04 Down 1-13

By Jerry Quinn

If Down are to collect any provincial hurling titles this year they will come courtesy of the Junior team who advanced at the expense of Cavan in Breffini Park on Saturday evening. The minor and senior teams were involved in a double bill with Antrim at Casement Park on Sunday and lost in both games. Once again the minor team were disappointing and despite the work being done in the development squads they were some way behind Antrim in stick work and on the scoreboard losing on a 4-12 to 2-11 scoreline.

The senior team put in a gallant second half performance against Antrim and with five minutes remaining the sides were level but the saffrons pulled away in the closing minutes with three unanswered points.

Junior Hurling championship DOWN 1-14 CAVAN 2-04

The Down players and mentors were shocked when they arrived at Breffini Park on Saturday evening to see a Cavan Football championship game in full swing. Given the prevailing weather conditions it was not the best pitch preparation ahead of an intercounty hurling championship and had it been happening at a Down venue I suspect that the Ulster Council officials present might have had more to say.

On the field Down were always in front due mainly to the fact that their forwards were the more accurate in front of goal. In a wasteful first half the Cavan forwards shot eight wides to the four from Down. Down playing against the wind took an early lead when Allistar McGilligan pointed in the first minute. There was a good understanding between the Clonduff man and Jerome McCrickard and with Paudi Matthews settling well in the three quarter line Down always looked the more dangerous side. Twenty minutes into the game a neat flick from McGilligan out McCrickard in for a goal. The Liatroim man followed with a well taken point when he collected a long clearance from his Liatroim colleague Brian McAleenan. Wing half back Kevin Downes was the only Cavan scorer in the first half when he pointed three frees to leave the home side trailing 1-07 to 0-03 at the interval.

Down lost their way around the middle of the field in the second half and in the deteriorating conditions their superior stick work was not as telling as it might have been. Nevertheless Daniel McCusker and Padrig Matthews worked hard in the half forward line with the Clonduff man in his first outing looking particularly impressive. Up front McGilligan, McCrickard and Daniel McCusker made the most of the limited chances which came their way. With five minutes remaining Down led 1-13 to 0-04 but they were rocked in the final minutes when Cavan crashed in two goals.

The Down team and scorers; Shane Boyle Gary Cairns Brian McAleenan Paul McCusker, David McGovern Paul McCabe Rory Matthews, John Murphy 0-02 and Tom Jennings, Daniel McCusker 0-04 Cormac McCabe Padrig Matthews 0-01, Anthony Tinnelly Jerome McCrickard 1-03 Allistair McGilligan 0-04.

Down will now play the winners of the second semi-final between Armagh and Donegal on 1st June at a venue yet to be announced.

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