Down make it four wins from four with a superb display in Wexford

Promotion to ​Division 2 is firmly in Down’s sights now as the Mournemen’s perfect record continued at a windswept Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday. The 10-point winning margin against Wexford was the most comfortable win of Down’s Division 2 campaign to date and Conor Laverty’s men were well worthy of that result following a superb second half display. Their biggest win before this game was a five-point victory over Clare in the opening round at Pairc Esler and since then it’s been tough, with a late Shane Annett point sealing the one-point victory over Limerick, and Westmeath battling back from a 13-point deficit at one stage before Down steadied the ship and won by three in the end.

Down manager Conor Laverty said there were ‘lessons to be learned’ after that game and his men certainly took that on board, as there was no comeback for Wexford in the second half on Sunday.

The hard work was required in the first period, as Down were playing into the strong breeze, and still they led by two at the break – 1-13 to 0-14.

John McGeough has more than shown his worth as the man for maximums, as, just like he did against Clare and Westmeath, he produced another goal in Wexford.

The home side did of course have a purple patch, but it was in the second quarter when the Mournemen led 1-10 to 0-8. Wexford hit three two-pointers on the trot, but Down didn't let themselves get too rattled and stopped the rot before the interval.

With the wind in their favour for the second half Down ploughed on, with a superb display of open football, notching up 16 more points and holding their opponents to 1-5, cruising to a comfortable 1-29 to 1-19 victory.

There was just one change to the programme for Down from their last game with Tom Close starting instead of Donal Scullion and they were fleet-footed from throw-in, quickly dominating proceedings.

Pat Havern, who ended up with a superb tally of 0-14, opened the scoring in the third minute with a point from play.

Wexford responded with their keeper Darragh Brooks converting the first of his three two-point frees to nudge the hosts into a narrow lead with five minutes on the clock.

That was soon wiped out however, as Down netminder Ronan Burns showed that he’s equally good from range when he came up the field and sent the ball between the sticks and Havern nabbed another point from play to give his side an 0–4 to 0-2 lead.

That margin remained intact when Odhran Murdock got his name on the scoresheet and Havern added a free, either side of a second point from outside the arc by Wexford’s Cathal Kehoe.

The excellent Murdock and Daniel Guinness extended the lead to four – 0-8 to 0-4 by the end of the first quarter – an impressive start given the strong wind favouring the home side.

Wexford continued to be reliant on big scores with Brooks raising his second orange flag and narrowing the margin to two again and while Down were the better side, traded points kept the scoreboard tight with Down leading 0-10 to 0-8 after 25 minutes.

Two minutes later the only goal of the game stretched the Mourne lead and it was the superb Guinness who set it up with a floated delivery for McGeough who punched into the net.

But, if anything, that spurred Wexford on, as Brooks added his third two-point free, while Mark Rossiter and Eoghan Nolan raised two more orange flags from play, proving just how quickly things can change these days.

Suddenly Wexford led 0-14 to 1-10, but Laverty’s men were determined to take an advantage into the break and that they did in the last two minutes of the half.

Guinness fired a left-footed shot over the bar to square proceedings and Havern converted a two-point free on the hooter to give his side a 1-13 to 0-14 lead at the break.

There was no stopping Down in the second half, as Murdock began as they intended to continue with a brace of superb two pointers within six minutes of the restart and Havern added another score, with just one reply, to extend the lead to 1-18 to 0-15.

Wexford came close to narrowing the deficit as Rossiter went for a goal, but his effort was defended well for a ‘45 that came to naught, while Down sub Jamie Doran was denied a maximum at the other end.

That effort wasn’t fruitless however as play was called back for an advantage and Havern obliged with a two-point free and Doran got on the scoresheet too with a point from beyond the arc. Down were well on their way by then and the scoring continued with an excellent display of football since the pressure was off.

Wexford did manage to put somewhat of a gloss on the scoreboard with a late goal converted by Eoin Porter but the competition was long over by then and the road back to Newry was a happy one for all in the red and black with a home tie against bottom side Fermanagh to come on Saturday and promotion within touching distance.

MATCH STATS

Wexford: D Brooks (0-8, 4tpf); L O’Connor, G Sheehan, E Porter (1-0); G Malone, D Furlong, E Nolan (0-3, 1tp); L Coleman, C Kehoe (0-2, 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 Kinsella for Higgins (49), C Hughes for N Hughes (56), R Brooks for Byrne (56), S Ryan for Nolan (63), S Doyle for Malone (63).

Down: 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 (1-0), P Havern (0-14, 1f, 1tp, 3tpf), A Crimmins.

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)

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)