Down battle to the finish but Tribesmen make it through to last eight

It's been many years since Down enjoyed a packed house in Pairc Esler and while the supporters didn't get the result they wanted, Conor Laverty's men bravely battled back from a 10-point half-time deficit to lose by just two in the end.

Galway came into this game as heavy favourites against Laverty's young side, as a Division 1 team and on the back of their victory over All-Ireland champions Armagh last time out. But they certainly got a game in Newry and had the first half gone as well as the second for Down, it may well have been a different result.

After a fairly even first quarter, Shane Walsh was a power-house for Galway, instrumental in his side pulling away and scoring 1-7 in total.

Down had the wind at their back in the second half however and came out fighting, quickly narrowing the margin to five - the huge support from the crowd certainly spurring them on.

An Odhran Murdock goal had Down back in the game with just three between the teams 2-19 to 1-24 but Galway replied with one of their own with hearts dropping again.

Still, this Down team are made of sterner stuff and when Ryan Magill netted with minutes remaining it was game on again at 3-19 to 2-25. Galway scored the next point however and with four in it there was no way back. Ryan McEvoy hit a two-pointer after the hooter blew but Galway had done enough to earn their place in the last eight, while Down were left to reflect on a season of some fantastic performances that they will no doubt build on next season.

A nervy start to the do-or-die game, saw Down with a couple of let offs early on, as Dylan McHugh missed a close-range point and Robert Finnerty hit the post.

But after that, Finnerty opened the scoring with a converted free and Down replied with Miceal Rooney setting up John McGeough for their first point of the afternoon.

Murdock put the home side in front in the tenth minute for what turned out to be the only time in the game following a superb solo run by Danny Magill, but Finnerty responded with a point and he added the first two-pointer of the game after Cillian McDaid and Matthew Tierney got their names on the score-sheet to lead 0-6 to 0-2.

McGeough has shown his worth in front of goal this season for Down and he did so again on Sunday, drilling low into the net from the right of goal and after Down keeper Ronan Burns, who has been another revelation this season, pulled off a super save when Finnerty pulled the trigger. Murdock then squared the match at 1-3 to 0-6.

McDaid nudged Galway in front again but once more Burns was called into action and bravely came out to meet Cian Hernon and denied him a maximum.

At that stage Down were doing a good job of containing the Tribesmen who had the wind advantage, but their purple patch arrived in style in the last 10 minutes of the half, heralded by that man Walsh.

He began with a powerful goal, while play should really have been stopped as Down defender Patrick McCarthy was on the ground at the other end with a head injury.

There was a delay after the goal when McCarthy was replaced temporarily by Eugene Brannigan, but the restart saw Danny Magill hit a brace of points and Brannigan also putting one on the board to narrow the deficit to one again 1-6 to 1-7. But Galway went to town after that with nine unanswered scores.

Walsh booted two two-pointers over the bar – one from a free and also scored a single point. Finnerty also scored point and when Murdock missed a shot at the other end under pressure Matthew Thompson raised another orange flag before the hooter to see the tribesmen lead 1-16 to 1-6 at the break.

This Down side never give up however and they came out of the blocks like the team in charge in the second half with two-pointers from Daniel Guinness and Miceal Rooney, a goal chance by Adam Crimmins saved and a free converted by Pat Havern within the first three minutes to narrow the margin to five.

But Galway had an answer every time Laverty's men came close, with replies from Thompson, Finnerty and Tierney, keeping the Tribesmen in the driving seat.

Havern converted another free and while Thompson then saw his two-point effort sail over the bar, Daniel Guinness replied in kind and Crimmins converted a free to once again narrow the margin to six 1-15 to 1-21.

Havern Magill and Brannigan missed the next three pointed attempts, but the Down supporters were fired up and when sub Caolan Mooney scored the next two points the noise levels went up a level.

Traded scores followed but Galway responded once again with Walsh hitting another two-pointer.

The rafters shook in Pairc Esler however when Murdock hit a maximum to make it a three point game 2-19 to 1-24 with 64 minutes on the clock.

But the Down cheers were soon replaced by Galway's when sub Tomo Culhane netted at the other end with three minutes left to play and then Daniel O'Flaherty stretched their lead to six.

There was still life left in Down though as Ryan Magill found a gap and raised a green flag moments later to make it a three-point game 3-19 to 2-26 but when Cein Darcy pointed and the hooter blew moments later there was four between the teams and no way back for Down when the hooter sounded. The Mournemen were in possession and while they bided their time before

Ryan McEvoy nailed a two-pointer Galway were already through, with a 3-21 to 2-26 victory.

MATCH STATS

Down: R Burns; P McCarthy, P Fegan, C Doherty (0-1); R Magill (1-0), P Laverty, M Rooney (0-2, 1tp); D Guinness (0-4,2tp), R McEvoy (0-2, 1tp); D Magill (0-2), O Murdock (1-2), A Crimmins (0-1,1f); J Guinness (0-1), P Havern (0-2, 2f), J McGeough (1-1)

Subs: E Brannigan (0-1) Blood Sub McCarthy (21), Brannigan for McCarthy (h-t), C Mooney (0-2) for McGeough (52), O Savage for Doherty (57), C McCrickard for Crimmins (61), F Murdock for Rooney (65)

Galway: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, L Silke; D McHugh, S Kelly, C Hernon; P Conroy, J Maher; C Darcy (0-1), M Tierney (0-2), C McDaid (0-2); R Finnerty (0-6,01f. 1tp), S Walsh (1-7, 1tp, 2tpf)), M Thompson (0-5, 1tp)

Subs: P Cooke (0-1)for Conroy (47) D O'Flaherty (0-2) for Hernon (56), J Heaney for McDaid (60), T Culhane (1-0) for Walsh (62), McDaid for J Heaney (69)

Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary)