Laverty downbeat in victory as Mournemen want more
MOURNE MOMENTUM: Down's Odhran Murdock kicks a point despite Michael Kinsella of Wexford Pic: ©INPHO/Nick Elliott
Prior to their 2024 Tailteann Cup final win, Down had tried and failed to win a dozen different League and Championship finals over 20 years. Losing finals had become their hoodoo.
Conor Laverty cut a content figure two years ago when he helped Down finally smash through that glass ceiling and you might have imagined he'd be in a similarly ebullient mood after Saturday evening's League win. Not so.
In fact, there was the longest of pauses, indicating distinct unease, after he was asked how Down might fare against Donegal in the Ulster SFC in Letterkenny on April 26 if they repeat the display they gave in this Division 3 decider.
In summary, Down had a middle-of-the-road first half, went 26 minutes of the second half without scoring and then forced extra time with the last three points of the game.
Would that be enough to put it up to the Ulster champions?
"I don't think it would take a rocket scientist to come up with that answer," Laverty eventually deadpanned in response.
To his and Down's credit, they did turn the screw on Wexford when they really had to, outscoring John Hegarty's side by 0-7 to 0-1 from late in normal time onwards.
"That's probably the highlight of the night, that whenever we were three points down and maybe it was at 62 or 63 minutes gone, in that period then we had real leaders who stood up," said Laverty.
"A lot of our lads have gained experience in those moments over many years of being in tough battles, and thankfully they came to the fore then."
Considering Wexford operated in Division 4 last year, and lost that final as well, they were widely written off beforehand. Down, in turn, weren't just expected to win but to win big, partly to secure All-Ireland SFC football again but also to send a message to Championship opponents Donegal.
But Laverty's teams seem to perform better when they're underdogs themselves, as they will be against Donegal, and they never really found their groove here.
Odhran Murdock kicked a two-pointer to help Down lead by 0-13 to 0-10 at half time but he also had a penalty saved and fired two wides. Pat Havern hit five first-half points but didn't score again. Daniel Guinness got the man of the match award but booted three wides in that barren period in the second half when Down desperately needed inspiration.
"It's probably something that hasn't happened to us in quite a long time," said Laverty of the long spell without scoring. "Because we've been trying to work hard on keeping the scoreboard ticking throughout each period.
"But again, I felt whenever the chips were down, and probably the game was very close to being gone at one stage, the way Wexford were controlling the ball, I felt we added a wee bit of energy and a wee bit of aggression to our play, not sitting off them as much. We probably forced their hand by doing that."
Still, if Wexford had taken the goal chance they created in the 61st minute, when already leading by three, you'd have fancied them to win. They were chasing an All-Ireland SFC ticket having not featured in it since 2019.
But the excellent Mark Rossiter's two-point attempt that fell short was fisted off the post and wide by Gavin Sheehan, instead of into the net.
Wexford struck three wides in that second half, dropped five attempts short and butchered a decent goal chance when Seán Nolan was through and fumbled. But that Sheehan chance felt like the game's turning point.
"With Gavin's one, on another night it falls three inches the other side and changes the result," shrugged Hegarty. "I'm looking forward to hearing some people giving Wexford a little bit of credit at the end of this because it was apparently hardly worth their while coming up today."
Wexford will also face a provincial title holder, Louth, when they open their Leinster SFC campaign on April 19. Louth deserve to be favourites for that one but Wexford will undoubtedly fancy an upset.
Rossiter was excellent for them against Down, reeling off back-to-back two-pointers in the third quarter as they came from three points down to move three points ahead.
"Whilst that was impressive, it (the scoreboard) still wasn't a reflection of how the play was because I felt we were even better than that in the second half," said Hegarty.
Down got a kick from their bench in the form of points from Liam Kerr and Ruairí McCormack and an assist from Eamon Brown for McEvoy's equalising point that forced extra time.
They wasted a number of goal chances though, two from Murdock overall and another in extra time when Glen Malone had to clear off the line for Wexford.
P Havern (2 frees), O Murdock (1 tp) (0-5 each); C Doherty (0-4); D Guinness (0-2); M Rooney, L Kerr, R McEvoy, A Crimmins, R McCormack (0-1 each).
M Rossiter (0-6, 2 tp); P Hughes (0-5, 1 tp); J Higgins (0-2); L Coleman, N Hughes, S Nolan, D Furlong, R Brooks 0-1.
: R Burns; P Fegan, R McEvoy, P Laverty; R Magill, S Annett, C Rogers; O Murdock, D Guinness; P Brooks, C Doherty, M Rooney; A Crimmins, P Havern, J McGeough.
: P McCarthy for Magill (44), L Kerr for Rooney (47), E Brown for Rogers (52), T Close for McGeough (61). R McCormack for Brooks (e/t), Rooney for Annett (h/t e/t), R Carr for Havern (87).
D Brooks; S Doyle, G Sheehan, D Furlong; L O'Connor, E Nolan, E Porter; L Coleman, N Hughes; P Hughes, C Kehoe, J Higgins; S Ryan, M Rossiter, S Nolan.
: G Malone for Nolan (11), C Hughes for Ryan (50), M Kinsella for Rossiter (52-57), Kinsella for Nolan (61), T Byrne for Kehoe (65). R Brooks for P Hughes (h/t e/t), S Barden for Doyle (85), D Shanley for C Hughes (87).
: T Murphy (Galway).
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