Down maintain unbeaten record with win over pointless Offaly
BRACE OF GOALS: Liam Kerr of Down in action. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
Down and Offaly remain at opposite ends of the Allianz League Division 3 table, after the Mournemen beat the Faithful County by four points in Pairc Esler to maintain their unbeaten record while Offaly are yet to put a point on the board.
As in other games this campaign Declan Kelly’s side had their fair share of chances but Down bettered those in a strange game, with five of the six goals scored arriving within a frantic eight-minute spell in the third quarter.
Offaly got off to a promising start with the first goal opportunity of the evening by Jordan Hayes from throw-in that finished just over the bar. Dylan Hyland converted a free moments later but Down soon settled, with Pat Havern sending the first of his five frees over the bar and a point from Odhran Murdock levelled proceedings.
The home side took the lead when Daniel Guinness weaved his way into the square but fumbled and lost the ball. It seemed like the chance was gone but Liam Kerr swooped in from the middle and drilled into the net.
Traded points followed between Hyland, Caolan Mooney, Havern and Keith O’Neill, making it 1-4 to 0-4, but Offaly could have squared the match on 13 minutes when they broke at speed with Down goalkeeper John O’Hare denying Lee Pearson a goal.
Tit for tat scores kept Down in front but Conor Laverty’s men were let off lightly at the end of the half when three loose passes in a row gifted Offaly the ball. They couldn’t take advantage however with a couple of wides all they could manage and the Mournemen led 1-7 to 0-6 at the half-time whistle.
Burren’s Danny Magill, on his first start back from injury, fisted over the bar on 37 minutes and Kilcoo’s Ryan Johnston tagged on a point to increase Down’s lead, but five minutes later the frantic spell of goals scored and others missed ensued.
Murdock was first to hit the net to put the hosts 2-8 to 0-7 in front and Kerr increased the advantage to 10 points with a cracking finish from the edge of the square off the underside of the crossbar.
That goal was cancelled out seconds later however when Jack Bryant broke down the other end and hit the net.
Cathal Flynn wasted a gilt-edged chance to narrow the margin by three more. He did all the hard work, slicing through the middle unchallenged but somehow fired wide of the goalmouth.
Not so for Johnston who finished off a lovely move between Havern and Kerr by stroking home.
Offaly weren’t finished yet though as O’Neill made it 4-9 to 2-9 with another goal on 53 minutes and while Daniel Guinness replied with one at the other end moments later, the green flag stayed down for overcarrying.
The last goal opportunity saw Danny Magill’s shot well saved by Offaly keeper Ian Duffy, and with that the gaping holes at both ends tightened up and it was back to point scoring for the remainder – five for Offaly and three for Down.
Offaly finished the game with 14 men when John Furlong was red carded on 67 minutes but Down had done enough by then to secure another victory.
L Kerr (2-0), P Havern (0-6, 5f), R Johnston, O Murdock (1-1 each), M Rooney, C Mooney, D Magill, R Magill (0-1 each).
J Bryant (1-5, 5f), K O’Neill (1-2), A Sullivan (0-3, 1f), D Hyland (0-2,1f), J Hayes , C Flynn (0-1 each).
J O’Hare; P Fegan, R McEvoy, C Doherty; M Rooney, P Laverty, P McCarthy; O Murdock, S Annett; C Mooney, L Kerr, D Guinness; D Magill, P Havern, J Guinness.
R Johnston for Annett (H-T), O Savage for J Guinness (H-T), A Doherty for McEvoy (42), J Flynn for Mooney (43), R Magill for McCarthy (66).
I Duffy; L Pearson, D Dempsey, A Bracken; C Egan, J Furlong, J O’Brien; E Carroll, P Cunningham; K McDermott, R McNamee, J Hayes; D Hyland, K O’Neill, J Bryant.
A Sullivan for Hyland (20), C Flynn (0-01) for McNamee (45), N Poland for McDermott (45), R Egan for O’Brien (53), A Bolger for Pearson (63).
Conor Dourneen (Cavan).
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