Dalata Hotel Group U-20 ‘B’ All-Ireland Final: Sligo 1-14 Down 0-8
Down’s aspirations of adding to their 2024 success in the All-Ireland U-20 ‘B’ Championship died a painful death over the course of the second half of their final clash with Sligo in Tullamore, as they scored just two points in what should have been ideal conditions for fast, attacking football.
Conor Ward pointed four minutes after half-time while Oisín Murphy scored eight minutes from the end, but by the time the Glenn man chipped the ball between the posts, there was no way back for the Mourne men.
Ruairí Madine, Daniel McKernan and Conor Rocks kicked some fine points for Down in the opening 30 minutes, but a defensive error opened the door for Adam Feeney to nick a goal and keep them level at the turnaround.
An injury to corner back Bobby Magowan didn’t help the Down cause as the Drumgath player was very influential in his short time on the pitch, most notably when he stripped Feeney of the ball just as the goal was opening up for the Sligo attacker.
Sligo’s Adam Feeney scores the only goal of the game as Downs Oisin Murphy attempts to block the shot. PICTURE: Louis McNally (LouisMcNally)
Lorcan Lynch also made a goal-saving tackle while Sligo’s shooting was not where they would have wanted, with five shots put astray.
Once the sides turned around, it all fell into place for the Yeats men, who were without their two leading attackers (Aaron Lang and Eli Rooney) but who made up for their absence with movement and energy close to goal.
Middle-third players, led by team captain and man of the match Conor Walsh, poured through the centre and quickly piled on the points, while three in five minutes from Conor Langan left Down with a mountain, a Ben Bulben in this instance, to climb.
Down started chasing goals early but a couple of speculative efforts were easily gathered by Gareth Cummins, and their increasing desperation made it all the easier for Sligo to ease to victory.
SLIGO: G Cummins; J McHugh, A Lillie, J Donoghue; E Keane (0-1), J Lavin, O Harte; C Walsh (0-3), E O’Mahony (0-3, 0-2f); C Gilligan (0-1), C Nicholson (0-2), J Molloy; C Langan (0-3), M Walsh (0-1), A Feeney (1-1).
Subs: M Carroll for Molloy (44), P Flynn for M Walsh (49), O Devlin (0-1) for Feeney (57), C Carty for Langan (59), L Higgins for Keane (60+2).
Yellow Card: M Walsh (30+2)
DOWN: C Travers; B Magowan, L Quinn, T O’Hanlon; O Murphy (0-1), C Rocks (0-1), L Lynch; D Doyle, J McEvoy; D McGreevy, M Óg Flanagan, L Blaney (0-1); C Ward (0-2), D McKernan (0-1), R Madine (0-2).
Subs: C Clerkin for Magowan (22), J O’Hagan for Rocks (33), E Travers for McEvoy (49), D McLogan for Ward (54), M McArdle for O’Hagan (55), K Toner for Flanagan (59).
Black Card: McGreevy (56)
Referee: Diarmuid Boylan (Monaghan)