Hurling: Derry lead Down by one point

Down 1-13 3-8 Derry

Derry 1-13 3-8 Down

In a rip-roaring Ulster Senior Hurling final at Casement Park, Derry were nervously holding on to a one-point lead against Down.

Down surged into a 0-3 0-1 lead after six minutes of frenetic action thanks to the accuracy of the experienced Tom Coulter.

However, it was Antrim's Geoffrey McGonigle who first troubled the scoreboard with only 30 seconds on the board with a crisp shot from 35 metres.

But ill-timed tackles allowed Coulter to fire the over three times in succession to nip Down ahead.

But Derry, and particularly McGonigle began to find their range and two open plays shots found their target to level up things in the 11th minute.

Down's Stephen Murray collected a yellow card after a swinging hurl caught McGonigle in the knee.

But after treatment the big forward dusted himself down to fire over that equalising point from the resulting free.

But Derry then took the lead again in the 12th minute when Tippman John O'Dwyer rattled over a point.

That was matched again by the accuracy of Coulter who picked off his fourth point to level things up again.

Within two minutes Down had scored the first goal of the game with Barry Coulter this time charging through the middle to find the net despite the valiant efforts of goalkeeper Kieran Stevenson.

But there was no keeping McGonigle out of the game.

With his bald head glistening with sweat he took a fine through ball and fired home his side's first goal to level things up again.

Down, though, started to take control on the run-up to the interval.

In the 21st minute it was Noel Sands finding acres of room from a Paul Braniff pass to fire home his side's second goal.

Oliver Collins did pull a point back for Derry in the 25th minutes, but within 60 seconds, Sands had grabbed his second goal to push Down into a 3-5 1-5 lead.

But all credit to Derry. Undaunted they chipped away at that lead with McGonigle, Gary Briggs and Ronan McCluskey rattling over successive points.

But in first-half injury time Paul Braniff and Coulter added to Down's excellent first half contribution with a point apiece.

However, there was a point of controversy at the end of the half when McGonigle appeared to be held back as he bore down on goal.

McGonigle, off-balance, could only kick the ball past the post, but referee Pat Ahern signalled a wide instead of an expected penalty.

Half-time: Down 3-7 1-8 Derry

Not unexpectedly, it was McGonigle who opened up the second half with two frees to take his personally tally to one goal and seven points.

Derry showing great character, pulled another point back through McGonigle before Braniff got Down on the board in the second half.

But it is was Derry who began to slowly strip the Down lead with Gregory Biggs, Oliver Collins and then McGonigle again who brought the score to within a point with 15 minutes remaining.