Down cruise to 10-point win in Wexford to take pole position atop Division 3
BUILDING BLOCKS: Down manager Conor Laverty. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Conviction and class won out as Down cruised to the most comfortable of ten points victories over Wexford in this Allianz National Football League Division 3 clash at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
Down turned a competitive opening thirty-five minutes into a dominant second half as they outfought and outclassed the home side with a delightful display of open football. This was quite apparent also through the opening period when despite playing into a strong breeze they still managed to go in at the break with a 1-13 to 0-14 lead.
A sharp contrast between the sides right through the game was the quick thinking, fast open football of the eventual winners, a factor which Wexford were unable to match, with the home side lacking the pace and quick decision making to match their dominant opponents.
Looking at the quality of the Down players, they showed a clear gulf between themselves and their opponents, only promoted from a lengthy stay in Division 4. Wexford, having lost to Limerick seven days earlier, now face a serious run-in of game to avoid an immediate drop back to the lower division.
Down Manager Conor Laverty spoke of the necessity to take two points giving them eight points from four games played, as they continue their push towards Division 2 football next season.
"I'm happy with the result. Wexford had some serious results going into this game with two victories from three games while this was also a first game at this ground. We have eight points on the board now which sets us up for our final round games," said Laverty.
"The effort in the first half playing into the strong breeze was excellent. We went in with a two point cushion. The lads got so much right in the second half, kicked some superb points. They were very sharp throughout the game, very strong on the ball, and showing a real sharpness moving forward. We can take this into the next game and continue our improvement."
Down will now aim to continue their winning ways at home to Fermanagh on Saturday next, while Wexford will seek an improved result at home to Sligo this Sunday.
Down took a firm grip on the opening exchanges ruling the roost through the opening quarter at the end of which they led 0-8 to 0-4, with keeper Darragh Brooks having a brace of two-pointers for the home side.
Meanwhile impressive full-forward Pat Havern opened Down's account with a third-minute point, adding two more, one from a free, as they controlled the game.
Keeper Ronan Burns got in on the scoring with a two point free, while the dominant Odhran Murdock kicked over two superb long points into the breeze as they moved into a four point lead.
After the sides had exchanged points, Down were boosted by a 27th-minute goal, Daniel Guinness floated a high ball into the goalmouth which was punched to the net by full-forward Havern.
Wexford responded with a Brooks two pointed free, while Mark Rossiter and Eoghan Nolan added two pointers from play. Despite this Down regained the initiative in the lead up to the break, bringing the side level with a point, with Havern finishing off the half with a superb two-pointer from play, giving his side a 1-13 to 0-14 interval lead.
It was outstanding midfielder Murdock who set the trend on the resumption with a brace of superb two-pointers within six minutes of the restart as Down moved clear to lead 1-18 to 0-15, with Havern also getting on on the scoring act.
Down's dominance was to continue for the remainder of the game with Wexford snatching a consolation goal in additional time through centre-back Eoin Porter, but the destination of the points were long decided at that stage.
R Burns (0-2, 1tp); P Laverty, R Magill, R McEvoy; D Guinness (0-4), P Fegan, C Rogers; O Murdock (0-6, 2tp), S Annett; T Close, C Doherty, P McPolin; J McGeough, P Havern (0-4, 1f, 1tp, 3tpf), A Cummins. Subs: E Brown (0-1) for McGeough (42), J Doran (0-2, 1tp) for Crimmins (49), F McElroy for McEvoy (52), R O'Hare for Close (56), L Kerr for McPolin (63).
D Brooks (0-8, 4tpf), L O'Connor,G Sheehan, E Porter (1-0); F Malone, D Furlong, E Noan (0-3, 1tp), L Coleman, C Kehoe (0-1, 1tp); J Higgins (0-1), P Hughes (0-1), M Rossiter (0-2, 1tp), T Byrne (0-1), N Hughes, S Nolan (0-1). Subs: M Kinsela for Higgins (49), C Hughes for N Hughes (56), R Brooks for Byrne (56), S Ryan for Nolan (63), S Doyle for Malone (63).
A Nolan (Wicklow).
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