Down come back from 10-point deficit to beat Cork

OUTSIDE THE ARC: Cork scored five two-pointers in the opening half against Down but didn't manage another after the break. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

AFL Division 2: Down 1-19 (1-4-11) Cork 2-15 (2-5-5)

The wonders of Gaelic football’s new rules were all full show in Newry as Down turned around a 10-point deficit with the help of three second half two-pointers and a goal.

Cork were seven up at half-time having been 10 ahead in the 32nd minute but it had disappeared by the 50th. A couple of two-pointers from Pat Havern, one from play, as well as another courtesy of James Guinness went a long way to devouring their opponents’ advantage.

A Patrick Doyle point settled Cork and Seán McDonnell’s 55th minute goal after he was put through by Tommy Walsh. Down complained about the score’s legitimacy and as a result Barry Cassidy awarded Cork a 13-metre free, which Mark Cronin sent over. But it was Cork’s last score.

An Odhrán Murdoch point brought Down to within four and when Ryan Magill fired home a 64th minute goal the home support were fancying their chances. Four minutes later, Ryan McEvoy spanked the post after beating Neil Lordan for a high ball but a free was awarded and brought outside the 40-metre arc from where Havern swung over the two-point score.

Brian O’Driscoll had an additional time two-point free opportunity to win the game for Cork but he slipped as he struck the ball and it sailed wide.

Cork didn’t raise a white flag until the 26th minute but they already had 1-8 on the board. Their aerial dominance in the middle of the field was crucial to giving them the platform to pummel Down.

The scoreline read 0-2 to 0-1 in their favour up to the 13th minute when Paul Walsh was involved in pouncing on a Down error for Chris Óg Jones to slip the ball into the net.

Mattie Taylor had looked threatening a couple of times before that and the goal was just rewards for being the better team in general play even if they had posted four wides and hit the post in the first 11 minutes.

A brace of two-point frees from Cronin in the space of a minute sent Cork 1-6 to 0-2 ahead in the 16th minute. O’Driscoll added his side’s fourth two-pointer in the 23rd minute and the situation was looking dire for Down when McDonnell raised a fifth orange flag in the 32nd minute.

Ten points up, Cork went into their shells and could have conceded a goal in the closing stages of the half. Doyle denied James Guinness and a Oisín Savage follow-up shot was deflected for a 45, which Ryan Burns converted.

Savage scored his second point of the afternoon to change the scoreboard to 0-7 to 1-11 although Daniel Guinness almost found the net with the penultimate play of the half.

Scorers for Down: P. Havern (0-8, 2 frees, 2 tps, 1 tpf); D. Magill (1-1); J Guinness (1 tp), O. Murdock (0-3 each); O. Savage (0-2, 1 free); C. Doherty, R. Burns (45) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Cork: M. Cronin (0-6, 2 tpfs, 1 free); S. McDonnell (1-2, 1 tp); C. Jones (1-0); R. Maguire (1 tp), B. O’Driscoll (1 tp) (0-2 each); E. McSweeney, S. Walsh, P. Doyle (0-1 each).

DOWN: R. Burns; R. Magill, P. Fegan, D. Magill; P. McCarthy, P. Laverty (c), C. Mooney; R. McEvoy, D. Guinness; O. Murdock, P. Havern, J. Guinness; O. Savage, C. Doherty, G. McKibben.

Subs: C. McCrickard for G. McKibben (h-t); E. Branagan for C. Mooney, A. Gilmore for O. Savage (both 57); M. Rooney for J. Guinness (59).

CORK: P. Doyle; M. Shanley, D. O’Mahony (c), N. Lordan; S. Powter, R. Maguire, M. Taylor; S. Walsh, C. O’Callaghan; P. Walsh, E. McSweeney, B. O’Driscoll; M. Cronin, C. Jones, S. McDonnell.

Subs: T. Walsh for S. Powter (temp, 30-ft); C. O’Mahony for E. McSweeney (57); C. Maguire for S. Walsh (63); D. Cashman for S. McDonnell (66).

Referee: B. Cassidy (Derry).