Great Comeback for Down

Irish Voice Sport

Great Comeback for Down

June 18, 2008

By Eugene Kyne

Down 1-11 Kerry 1-8

DOWN made a tremendous comeback to overcome Kerry after trailing at the half by seven points and placing themselves squarely in the mix of contenders for championship honors this season.

They held Kerry to one point over the final 30 minutes and replied with 1-8, with Paddy Cunningham outstanding in front of goals for the Mournemen. When Mike Turley went to full back and Brendan McArdle moved to center half back the defense shut down the Kingdom completely for the all important win.

Within seconds of the start Cunningham had christened his arrival in New York with a free after Mark Dobbins was fouled. Kerry replied with a point from a Ross Donovan free and an excellent effort from Bingo Driscoll when he got open.

Down tied the game up with a sublime score from a sideline kick by Cunningham from under the railway line, but it was all Kerry in the next 10 minutes as they took over the contest. It started, as any avalanche does, with a snowflake.

Donovan chipped over a point after Bingo was fouled late for no obvious reason. A Down move up the field broke down, and Kieran Bergin launched a long ball forward form in front of the press box. It dropped kindly to Bingo and he laid off to the thundering Donovan, who planted it in the net.

There were three further points from Dermie Foley, and Donovan (two). It gave Kerry a 1-6 to 0-2 lead with 20 minutes on the clock.

More importantly, their defense was shutting down the potent Down offense, with Declan Griffin dominating in the center and Eoghan O’Mahoney and Niall Corbett controlling the star corner forwards.

Down did have a major chance in the onslaught to get back into the game, but a flick on a high ball by Fergal Shannon was stopped by the defense, and his drive after winning the rebound was saved brilliantly by Shane Clifford.

Down finally added to their meager total with another Cunningham score, but it was cancelled out by a Donovan effort seconds before the break.

Down awoke from their slumber and brushed the snow away as the second half opened. They reeled off five points in the first 12 minutes, with Cunningham coming alive in open play. He pointed when he was fouled and also had a brilliant score form play to account for three in the mix.

The blow that brought them all the way back came from nothing it seemed. They won the ball in their own half and hand passed it around the horn as they do constantly to effect.

Barry Annette released to ball to Dobbins, and his probing pass was flicked by Fergal Shannon to Liam Farrell. Lucy took it on and sidestepped the advancing keeper to blast to the net.

Down continued to dominate the kickout, with Paul Higgins winning the next three coming from the Kerry end and laying off to his halfback line. In turn they worked it methodically out from the back with keep away play.

Kerry had their only point when Donovan had a free that tailed over on the 18th minute, but again Down attacked. Cunningham took a feed from Dobbins and from an impossible angle wide on the left he drove high over the bar. An unbelievable score.

He followed it with a more orthodox score, and Barry McElduff had the final score of the afternoon to put a goal between the sides. They could have made it completely safe when Shannon was pulled down for a penalty. Despite the shouts from the line to tap it over for the safe four-point lead, Cunningham shot low to the right and Clifford made a good save.

Time ran out, however, for Kerry as Down shut down two further attacks before the final whistle.

Down had brilliant performances from Brendan McArdle and Mike Turley when they moved to their new positions, Gary Cornyn, and the midfield pairing of Higgins and Munnelly, who won the spoils particularly in the second half. Mark Dobbins covered a lot of ground, while the full forward line of Liam Farrell, who was unlucky to be taken off, Fergal Shannon and the outstanding Cunningham had a superb second half. Barry McElduff was a very positive introduction of the bench.

Kerry will ask, what the heck happened? Niall Corbett, Eoghan O’Mahoney and Kieran Bergin all had good first halves. Ross Donovan and Bingo Driscoll were the best of the forwards.

Kerry: 1 Shane Clifford, 2 Niall Corbett, 3 Anthony Glacken, 4 Eoghan O’Mahoney, 5 Damien Walsh, 6 Declan Griffin, 7 Kieran Bergin, 8 Gearoid O’Sullivan, 9 Darren Walsh, 10 Sean Kelly, 11 Ross Donovan (1-6), 12 Collie Fearon, 13 Dermie Foley (0-1), 14 Bingo Driscoll (0-1), 15 Stephen Kavanagh. Sub: Shane Carty.

Down: 1 Mark Kelly, 2 Brian Murray, 3 Barry Annette, 4 Dermot Hayes, 5 Sean Kelly, 6 Mike Turley, 7 Gary Cornyn, 8 Paul Higgins, 9 Sean Munnelly, 10 Seamus Kelly, 11 Mark Dobbin (0-1), 12 Brendan McArdle, 13 Paddy Cunningham (0-8), 14 Liam Farrell (1-1), 15 Fergal Shannon. Subs: Barry McElduff (0-1), Michael Sloan, Ruiri Galligan, Eugene O’Hagan.

Referee: Tommy Fahey (Waterford).

Man of the match: Paddy Cunningham (Down).

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