Derry 0-4 Down 7-11

The Down Ladies team booked their place in the Division Three playoffs with a convincing win over Derry on Saturday 26th March. In what proved to be a game of two halves, Derry matched Down well in the first period before being outplayed in the second.

Emma Madine (0-1) got Down off the mark with a low hit point after four minutes. This was followed by another point from midfielder Michaela Downey after good work by Karen Keown. Some poor shooting from Down and strong defence by Derry saw them hold the Down girls for long periods of the first half. However, Down finally broke through with a punched goal from Jenna Connell near the end of the half. A long ball in from Karen Keown left Bryansford woman Connell in a race for the ball with the Derry goalkeeper, which she duly won. Derry fought back with two well taken points from long distance but a further point from Michaela Downey saw the Mourne county go into the break up 1-3 to 0-2.

Whatever manager Gregory McGonigle said at half time obviously had the desired effect as a more determined Down team emerged from the dressing rooms. The Derry girls were first to score in the half but it proved to be one of their few forays into the Down half as the Down forwards opened the floodgates. Kyla Trainor (1-0) scored first low to the keeper’s left following a through pass from Michaela Downey. Downey then hit the net herself as a scoring effort from 40 yards sneaked in under the bar. Derry scored one further point amid a stream of Down scores from Eliza Downey (0-1), Lyndsey Cunningham (1-0), Eliza Downey (0-1), Michaela Downey (2-5), Jenna Connell (3-0) and Karen Keown (0-4).

Down will have been encouraged with the way in which they killed the game off in the end, but will know that such a performance in both halves will be necessary against any playoff opponents.