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Three
new faces on Down team - 19/02/03
By Matt Fitzpatrick
Down manager Jimmy O'Reilly gives debuts
to three players on the side which faces Ulster champions
Antrim in the opening game in the Allianz NHL Division 2A
in Portaferry on Sunday. This trio are all U21 players and
along Gabriel Clarke, Gareth Johnson and Stephen Clarke
brings to six the number of U21 players on the team.
This will be the first ever league meeting
between Down and Antrim at an Ards venue and is attracting
massive attention. This repeat of last year's Ulster SHC
final sees Down field without Noel Sands, who has opted
out of the NHL campaign and Paddy Monan who has retired.
Both played major parts in Down's successes in the 90's.
Also missing are Tom and Paddy Coulter who have returned
to the panel recently but are still short of full fitness.
Wearing the senior jersey for the first
time in a competitive game are the Ballygalget trio of Emmett
Dorrian, Gareth Johnson and Stephen Clarke. The strong tackling
Emmett Dorrian comes in at left back with Simon Wilson switching
to left half back to replace Tom Coulter. Gareth Johnson,
one of last year's minor and U21 stars gets the right half
forward berth in place of Paddy Coulter while Stephen Clarke
takes over from Noel Sands in the left corner. There is
also a new midfield partnership with Portaferry's Barry
Milligan taking over from Paddy Monan to partner his club
man Gerard Adair.
In their warm up games Down have had wins
in challenge games over Derry and Wicklow . They drew with
Wexford and lost to Dublin, the eventual winners, in the
Walsh Cup.
The team is: Graham Clarke (Ballygalget);
Liam Clarke (Ballygalget), Stephen Murray (capt) (Portaferry),
Emmett Dorrian (Ballygalget; Gabriel Clarke (Ballygalget),
Gary Savage (Ballycran), Simon Wilson (Ballycran); Gerard
Adair (Portaferry), Barry Milligan (Portaferry); Gareth
Johnson (Ballygalget), Paul Braniff (Portaferry), Emmett
Trainor (Portaferry); Martin Coulter (Ballygalget), Gerard
McGrattan (Portaferry), Stephen Clarke (Ballygalget).
Subs: Richard Murray (Portaferry),
Michael Pucci, Eoin Clarke, Aaron Dynes, Tom Coulter, Paddy
Coulter, Gareth Dynes (all Ballygalget), Mick Braniff, James
Henry Hughes, John Doherty (all Ballycran), Tom McMahon,
Fintan Murray (Darragh Cross), Daniel McCusker (Ballela).
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