Down selector Donnelly: 'We were victims of our own creation to a certain extent for long periods'

Down manager Conor Laverty. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

AFL Division 3: Limerick 1-14 Down 0-18

LEAGUE points are precious. With a draw the most probable result when James Naughton levelled for Limerick, Down hunted a winner. 

They found it through Shane Annett and suddenly they are perfectly placed on four points from two starts.

However, it was an afternoon that frustrated the Mourne men in many ways. They were certainly the more dominant force in Limerick but the Division Four champions hung around.

“We were victims of our own creation to a certain extent for long periods”, explained Down selector, Mickey Donnelly. His side didn’t execute in front of goal despite a quintet of openings.

“The focus for us all along was to get four points – it doesn’t matter how you get there. We were under par today but that is no excuse, Limerick were the better team. We left a lot of scores behind us, we were disappointed with that. We will dust ourselves down and we have two good weeks to prep for it. Games come down to the wire, if you are not at it, or the skills are not on point "

Their half-time lead (0-9 to 0-6) felt insubstantial for Down, who twice had the ball in the net only for Barry O’Hagan to be whistled for overcarrying and another chalked off as it was handpassed over the line. They hit the bar too, settling for a point through Doherty, when a goal seemed certain.

Down didn’t ever look in trouble until James Naughton and relative rookie, Eliah Riordan, hauled them closer. Limerick were searching for a spark and found it from Danny Neville.

He collected off sub-Shane Cross and drilled home to get cut the gap to one. However, Guinness ordered two at the other end, raising an orange flag, before another Treaty dash got them level.

Riordan’s expert free outside the 45 sailed over. Naughton obliged from a 20m free but Down had one more foray forward – Annett, more renowned for his defensive qualities, curled over the winner.

“We didn’t do what we said we’d do. In saying all that, you get nothing for moral victories. The lads know that we have to dust ourselves off”, explained Treaty boss, Jimmy Lee. “We will sit down and look at the decision making, but at the end of the day, we only had six or seven from the Tailteann Cup, we have to put it into context. We were in the same position last year (a draw and a loss), so the next day is very important."

Scorers for Limerick: E Riordan 0-5 (2tpf); J Naughton 0-4 (0-4 frees); D Neville 1-0; B Childs 0-2 (1tp); A Meade, B Coleman, P Maher 0-1 each.

Scorers for Down: D Guinness 0-5 (1tp); P Havern (1 tpf, 1f), C Doherty 0-3 each; P McPolin, S Annett 0-2; O Murdock, R McEvoy, J Doran 0-1 each.

LIMERICK: J Alfred; J Hassett, C McSweeney, M McCarthy; B Coleman, K Ryan, D Buckley; Jack McCarthy, P Maher; R O’Riordan, D Neville. S Clancy, J Naughton; R Childs, A Meade.

Subs: R O’Brien for Meade (half-time); S Cross for J McCarthy (56); O Collins for McSweeney (61); B Carr for Maher (69).

DOWN: R Burns; P Fegan, P Laverty, B O’Hagan; P McPolin, R Magill, C Rogers; O Murdock (C), R McEvoy; D Guinness, C Doherty, S Annett; A Crimmins, P Havern, J McGeough.

Subs: J Doran for O’Hagan (33); D Scullion for Crimmins (44); T Close for McEvoy (53); P Brooks for Rogers (57); G McKibben for McGeough (69).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).