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The Irish Sun
22-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Galway survive Down's late surge to seal All-Ireland quarter-final spot in five-goal classic
After nerve-shredding finishes against Mayo, Dublin, Derry and Armagh, Galway had already been involved in their share of high octane, high drama ties before surviving another against Down in the Marshes. Forward trio Shane Walsh, Rob Finnerty and Matthew Thompson scored 1-18 between them as the Tribesmen left with a two-point victory. 2 The Tribesmen ousted Down in a cracking clash to seal a last-eight place 2 There were five goals in the thrilling clash at Pairc Esler But only after weathering a stirring fightback from the Mourne men inspired by Odhran Murdock. Winning manager Padraic Joyce said afterwards: "Very happy that we got through. "Great game of football, up and down the pitch the whole time. It was error-ridden, a lot of turnovers, a lot of good play. "We probably started the game poorly enough but then second half of the first half, we pulled away and got a 10-point cushion at half-time after Shane got the goal. read more on gaa "Came out after half-time and we let them get back into the game with two two-pointers. "The game then was topsy-turvy in the second half, tit for tat, back and over. We looked in a bit of bother in the second half when they got back to two or three points. "In fairness to our experienced lads, Peter Cooke made a massive difference when he came on the pitch. Tomo Culhane got a great goal, Daniel O'Flaherty two points. "Our bench has made a massive impact in the last couple of games, as it did today. Most read in GAA Football "Johnny Heaney came on after a head injury for Cillian McDaid, and he handled the ball three or four times and minded the ball really, really well. "A lot of aspects we'd be really happy with, obviously a lot of aspects we wouldn't be happy with and the amount of scores we conceded. But it was that kind of game, it was going to be open. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter "People are saying we don't play for 70 minutes. I think we got a good performance there for the full 70 minutes overall. "We know where we are, we're happy enough to be there. We've work to do. We just can't perform like that next week whoever we are playing in the quarter-finals. If we concede that kind of score, we're going to be in trouble." A crucial eight-minute spell at the end of the first half pushed a wind-assisted Galway lead of 1-7 to 1-6 out to 1-16 to 1-6 at the hooter. Walsh buried past Down's excellent 'keeper Ronan Burns on 22 minutes and kicked a couple from outside the 40-metre arc, as did Thompson and Finnerty. Odhran Murdock and Danny Magill were on target with two points apiece for the home side, while Murdock also set John McGeough away for their opening goal on 14 minutes. Down were a side transformed after the break with Daniel Guinness and Miceal Rooney two-pointers inside 90 seconds getting their support more involved. Galway steadied themselves with Thompson, Finnerty and Matthew Tierney points for a 1-20 to 1-13 advantage on 49 minutes before another Down surge followed as Galway's kickout came under intense pressure. A second Guinness two-pointer and sub Caolan Mooney's impact cut it back to two before Galway's bench began to influence matters. Peter Cooke and Daniel O'Flaherty found the target, while Walsh converted a terrific two-point free prior to his injury-enforced withdrawal. Galway's 1-24 to 1-19 lead appeared too much for Down to reel in, but Murdock had other ideas and ignited a rally with Down's second goal to cut the deficit to just two on 65 minutes. Sub Tomo Culhane's green flag two minutes later was the key moment for the Tribesmen and finally saw off Down's resurgence. And though Ryan Magill netted the game's fifth at the other end soon after, a relieving Céin D'Arcy point confirmed Galway's victory and a quarter-final date with Meath, Monaghan or Tyrone. Down boss Conor Laverty was upset after the game. He said: "Bad feeling in the stomach now. "We knew that taking any team in the country to Newry, we felt we had an opportunity to win it. We definitely didn't think that today was going to be our last day in the championship. "I came here today with a massive belief that these players could perform at this level and that this is the standard that we want to be play at. "What we did talk to the players about, do you want to be coming here today to Páirc Esler playing in front of 14,000 people? What would you rather be playing? 'I came to a league match here against Clare one year and there wasn't 150 people at it. Playing against teams in the Tailteann Cup, there were only a couple of hundred people at them, and that's nothing against the Tailteann Cup because it was a stepping stone. "That's where this group of young Down players with a serious mindset and a serious desire to be competing at the top table.' Galway: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, L Silke; D McHugh, S Kelly, C Hernon; P Conroy, J Maher; C D'Arcy 0-1, M Thompson 0-5 1tp, C McDaid 0-2; R Finnerty 0-6 1tp 1f, S Walsh 1-7 1tp 2tpf, M Tierney 0-2. Subs: P Cooke 0-1 for Conroy 47, D O'Flaherty 0-2 for Hernon 56, J Heaney for McDaid temp 61-69, T Culhane 1-0 for Walsh 62, J Daly for Maher 67. Down: R Burns; P McCarthy, P Fegen, C Doherty 0-1; R Magill 1-0, P Laverty, M Rooney 0-2 tp; D Guinness 0-4 2tp, R McEvoy 0-2 tp; D Magill 0-2, O Murdock 1-2, A Crimmins 0-1 f; J Guinness 0-1, P Havern 0-2 2f, J McGeough 1-1. Subs: E Brannigan 0-1 for McCarthy temp 21-26 & HT, C Mooney 0-2 for McGeough 53, O Savage for Doherty 58, C McCrickard for Crimmins 62, F Murdock for Rooney 66. REFEREE: D O'Mahoney.
Belfast Telegraph
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Down boss Conor Laverty looks to get Mournemen back on track as All-Ireland series opens against Clare
The Mourne outfit will face Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis tomorrow (2.00pm) conscious that a win is essential if they are to make an impact in the closing phase of the race to the Sam Maguire Cup. Having been relegated to Division Three of the Allianz League and surrendered to eventual winners Donegal in the Ulster Championship, Down need no reminding of the ground that they have to make up. Yet there appears to be a strong desire within the side to come good in the closing phase of the All-Ireland series. They will face games against newly-crowned Leinster champions Louth and promoted Monaghan after their clash with Clare yet there appears to be a strong hunger within the squad to atone for their recent lapses. Odhran Murdock is a key figure at midfield and will have a vital role against Clare while Daniel Guinness, Miceal Rooney, Danny Magill and free-scoring Pat Havern are other key players in the side. Indeed, should Havern be plied with possession, he is more than capable of orchestrating the win that Down need so badly. Victory for Laverty's men would help to recharge their batteries for their jousts with Louth and Monaghan, two teams who are riding high just now. Down have shown to date that they can offer spirit and work-rate but it's when it comes to finishing that they are occasionally found wanting. And while Down strive to bolster their status, Antrim and Fermanagh will bid to progress in the Tailteann Cup. Antrim manager Andy McEntee believes his side can maximize their home advantage at Corrigan Park when they face Limerick today (4.30pm) with Paddy McBride, Dominic McEnhill, Marc Jordan and Eunan Walsh ready to set the tone for Antrim's performance. The Saffrons have been finding the going tough lately but manager McEntee believe his side can raise their game today. Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly is also optimistic that his team can turn on the style against Longford who will be at home. Declan McCusker, Conor Love, the Cullen brothers Che and Lee, Garvan Jones and Ultan Kelm can help to fire up Fermanagh as they bid to keep in the hunt for the silverware. The fact that they must face Longford at their own headquarters will pose its own demands on Fermanagh but given the form of Jones and Kelm in particular the indications are that the Erne outfit can rise to the occasion. Skipper McCusker (below) has been striving to elicit the best from his side recently and is hopeful that they can get now get the boost they require. 'We want to be able to lift out game for this outing and see where that takes us,' he said. 'There is no doubt that the fare in this competition is particularly keen and we have to show that we can meet the challenge.' And there is another Tailteann Cup game that will not go unnoticed in Ulster given the level of football fanaticism that is currently gripping the province. Sligo and Leitrim will go head to head at Carrick-on-Shannon in the Tailteann Cup tomorrow (1.30pm) where the two managers will come under the microscope. Armagh 2002 All-Ireland winner Tony McEntee is in his fifth year in charge of Sligo while Newry man Stephen Poacher had managed Down county teams at every level except senior before he took up the reins of the Leitrim county football team towards the end of last year. And you can bet on it that both men will certainly be fully fired up for this particular challenge, that's for sure. And given their passion for their roles it can be assumed that this will be a tie in which no quarter will be asked or given.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Down must expect 'dogfight' in All-Ireland opener
Former Down defender Kevin McKernan says the county must expect to be drawn into a "dogfight" in Saturday's All-Ireland round-robin opener against Clare in Ennis (14:00 BST).The Mournemen won the 2024 Tailteann Cup to earn a spot in this year's Sam Maguire series. Conor Laverty's side are coming off an Ulster semi-final loss to Donegal after suffering relegation from Division Two earlier this year, while Clare lost the Munster final to Kerry after missing out on promotion from the third-tier of the National League. "It's a home game for Clare and they'll look at that as a serious strength but it's a huge challenge for Down," said McKernan, who started Down's 2010 All-Ireland final loss to Cork. "It's a long way to travel but when they go down there they will find a team very similar to themselves; finding themselves between Division Two and Division Three."They had a huge performance against Kerry [in the Munster final] for large periods and against a team they weren't expected to beat. "Down going to Clare - would they be expecting a win? Absolutely, but it's going to be a dogfight as well. If they can get big Pat [Havern] and Odhran [Murdock] moving with players like Pierce Laverty and Paddy McCarthy full of running from defence, the big spaces of Cusack Park will suit Down."McKernan also said his Burren club-mate Murdock has the mentality to shoulder the burden of expectation after establishing himself at senior inter-county level. "Odhran was blooded at senior level in midfield as a 19, 20-year-old and he's starting to get into his rhythm in games. "It's a big ask for someone so young but he has the right mentality. Conor and his management team have built a structure of play for the whole team, but Odhran's a huge part of that. "If Down launch themselves into this [All-Ireland series], they'll be excited to see Daniel Guinness and Odhran Murdock carry this team forward."
