Down get the better of Clare in wild conditions

It was a good night at the office for Down on Saturday in Pairc Esler, where they battled the elements and a dogged Clare side to win their National Football League Division 3 Round 1 fixture.

Conor Laverty’s side had to come from behind more than once however to do so. But their big names got them there in the end with a five-point victory secured late in the game.

The weather was atrocious, with a gale force wind blowing toward the canal on the sand-filled pitch, necessitated by a week of relentless rain that continued throughout this match.

Clare had the wind at their back in the first half and they used it effectively, notching up three two-point scores and a brace of goals.

Down were the better side however and while kicking into the breeze made scoring difficult, they did register 10 first half points to trail by just five at the break.

John McGeough began the comeback for the Mournemen at the start of the second half with a goal and with Down stepping it up including Pat Havern who scored 0-6 in total, to lead 1-16 to 2-12 as the clock wound down. But there was no shaking Paul Madden’s side who converted another two-pointer to lead by one.

Up stepped Odhran Murdock however and the brilliant Daniel Guinness, who hit 1-3 between them to secure the five-point victory.

Down enjoyed early possession and they were rewarded when Guinness fisted the first point of the evening over the bar in the second minute.

Clare hit a couple of wides in reply before Shane Annett, who was the only change to the starting lineups replacing Donal Scullion, got on the end of a pass from Havern and doubled the advantage before Mark McInerney pointed the first for the Banner County.

Ceilum Doherty continued the scoring for Down to put them three in front 0-4 to 0-1, but Clare began to use the breeze to their advantage when McInerney nailed the first two-pointer of the game with the wind doing most of the work.

Adam Crimmins replied at the other end, but Aaron Griffin levelled proceedings at 0-5 apiece with a second orange flag for Clare – wiping out all of Down’s hard work.

Doherty pointed his second to nudge Down in front again but Clare took the lead for the first time in the game when a point effort by Griffin on 23 minutes dropped short, falling perfectly for Cillian Brennan who found the net.

Down did keep the scoreboard ticking over as best they could, with Murdock getting his name on the scoresheet and Havern doing likewise with three points – both players making their first appearances of the year - to square the match 0-10 to 1-7 as half-time approached.

But again all of Down’s hard work was undone when Brian McNamara scored another two-pointer and McInerney finished the half with a second Clare goal to give them a 2-9 to 0-10 lead at the half-time whistle.

Clare continued where they left off in the second half, with Darragh Bohannon sending the ball between the sticks seconds after the re-start. But, despite the wind seeming to change direction somewhat, Down came good once again when Havern had a go from a free outside the arc. His effort dropped short but the outcome was even better because the ball came off the post for McGeough who stuck it in the net.

Guinness tagged on a point and McGeough added another and with that Conor Laverty’s men were back in the game just a point behind at 1-12 to 2-10.

Cormac Murray made it a two-point game, but three points from Havern, one free, and another from Guinness with one from Clare, saw Down lead again 1-16 to 2-12 with eight minutes left on the clock.

But Clare kept searching for big scores and they got the next from their keeper Stephen Ryan who came down the field and drilled a two-point free over the bar.

The response from Down was immense however, as they flew straight down the field with Murdock burying the ball in the net to the delight of the home fans who ended up being rewarded for braving the weather.

Down secured the first league win of the season when Ryan had a chance of another two-point free but missed, and Guinness replied by raising an orange flag in reply and Murdock secured the 2-19 to 2-14 win with the last kick of the game.

MATCH STATS

Down: R Burns; P Fegan, P Laverty, F Murdock; P McPolin, R Magill, P McCarthy; O Murdock (1-2), R McEvoy; D Guinness (0-5, 1tp), C Doherty (0-3), S Annett (0-1); A Crimmins (0-1), P Havern (0-6, 03f J McGeough (1-1)

Subs: T Close for Crimmins (46), M Rooney for Magill (57), R Scullion for McCarthy (57), B O’Hagan for McGeough (64), P Brooks for Annett (68),

Clare: S Ryan (0-2, 1tpf); A Sweeney, R Lanigan, M Doherty; C Brennan (1-0), I Ugwueru, F Kelleher; B McNamara (0-2, 1tp), D Bohannon (0-2); B Rouine, D Coughlan (0-2), A Griffin (0-2, 1tp); E Cleary, M McInerney (1-3, 1tp), C Murray (0-1)

Subs: C O’Dea for McInerney (42), G Murray for Brennan (54), J Rafferty for Murray (58), E Cahill for Griffin (68)

Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan)