Mitchell and Loughlin on song as The Downs advance

Shay Murtagh Precast Senior Football Championship semi-final: The Downs 3-10, Tyrrellspass 1-13

Gerry Buckley reports

The Downs are back in the Flanagan Cup decider for the first time in 17 years, the black and amber-clad outfit deservedly edging past Tyrrellspass in an entertaining semi-final at a well-attended TEG Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon.

A really splendid first half yielded 18 scores and finished with the teams on level terms. The standard deteriorated somewhat on the change of ends, but Lar Wall’s charges made little of Charlie Drumm’s dismissal less than three minutes after play resumed to qualify for a mouth-watering showdown with champions St Loman’s, Mullingar next Sunday week.

The action and scores in the first moiety came thick and fast. The outstanding Niall Mitchell fielded Luke Loughlin’s pinpoint delivery in the second minute and duly rifled the ball to the net. The respective number 14s, Dean McNicholas and Loughlin, soon traded points, as did McNicholas again and Ian Martin.

In the sixth minute, Peter Murray had the misfortune to deflect Tommy Ryan’s delivery past Trevor Martin for an equalising goal. A point exchange from frees ensued between the evergreen Ger Egan and Tom Tuite. A point apiece from play from Aaron O’Brien and Egan (another free) left the Tidy Town ahead by 1-5 to 1-3 at the end of the opening quarter.

Darren Quinn then pulled off a great save from Ciaran Nolan, and Ray Sheridan’s troops, aided by a slight wind, raced five points clear by the 21st minute with a hat-trick of unanswered scores from the boot of Egan (the second of them a delightful effort from open play).

The aforementioned Egan appeared to have been fouled prior to The Downs’ second goal in the 22nd minute, Quinn just unable to keep out a rasping shot from Andrew Kilmartin. Egan responded with a great point from play.

With three minutes of normal time remaining in the first moiety, a porous losers’ rearguard conceded their third goal, Martin finding the net with aplomb at the end of a flowing move.

Tuite slotted over a free in added-time – again it came after his side had come close to scoring another three-pointer – and Adam Flanagan’s point via the upright wrapped up the scoring at the end of a memorable first half, with the sides on level terms (3-4 to 1-10).

Drumm’s afternoon ended prematurely when he picked up his second yellow card in the 33rd minute. Tyrrellspass had hit no wides in the opening half, but they hit two in a minute before sub Jonathan Lynam made an instant impact with a neat point. Jamie Corcoran was black-carded in the 38th minute.

A brace of Loughlin frees – the second award seemed soft – put the winners three points clear. At the other end, Mark Kelly excelled in blocking a McNicholas goal attempt at the expense of an unconverted ‘45’.

Egan did very well to slot over a 52nd-minute free – remarkably, the first score of the half for the men in sky blue and navy. A fisted point from Loughlin and a neat score from Kilmartin (when teed up by Loughlin) put The Downs four clear with just three minutes left in the stipulated hour.

Egan and Loughlin swapped quality points and, with Mitchell back helping his defence to great effect, Egan’s tricky free conversion in added-time merely amounted to a consolation score.

On this evidence, The Downs look certain to mount a serious challenge for county honours when they face the holders on October 9.

Scorers – The Downs: L Loughlin 0-5 (2f), I Martin and A Kilmartin 1-1 each, N Mitchell 1-0, T Tuite 0-2 (2f), J Lynam 0-1. Tyrrellspass: G Egan 0-9 (6f), P Murray 1-0 (own goal), D McNicholas 0-2, A O’Brien and A Flanagan 0-1 each.

The Downs: Trevor Martin; Darragh Egerton, Peter Murray, Éanna Burke; Conor Coughlan, Mark Kelly, Joe Moran; Charlie Drumm, Ciaran Nolan; Andrew Kilmartin, Niall Mitchell, Kevin O’Sullivan; Ian Martin, Luke Loughlin, Tom Tuite. Subs used: Jonathan Lynam for Coughlan (36), Dean Egeron for Tuite (55), Jack Carroll for Kilmartin (60 + 2).

Tyrrellspass: Darren Quinn; Stephen Quinn, Jamie Corcoran, Jamie Gonoud; Val Sizychas, Conor Slevin, Nigel Harte; Denis Glennon, David Lynam; Kieran Geraghty, Aaron O’Brien, Ger Egan; Adam Flanagan, Dean McNicholas, Tommy Ryan. Subs used: Peter Pierson for Ryan (44), Cathal Dunne for Lynam (44), Peter Clarke for O’Brien (51), Evan Connell for Sizychas (54).

Ref: Keith O’Brien (Moate All Whites).