Allianz Football League Division Two, round two
Down v Cork (Sunday, Pairc Esler, 1pm)
THESE counties were revelling in the new rules last weekend. They scored 3-39 between them, so punters at Páirc Esler will be expecting a treat in Sunday’s lunchtime throw-in.
Cork hit Meath for 2-19 to win on home soil, while Down travelled to promotion-favourites Roscommon for their first game back in Division Two and absolutely went for it. They racked up an impressive 1-20 but faded over the final 10 minutes and came home from ‘The Hyde’ empty-handed.
The Mournemen led by seven points early in the second half and with 12 minutes left of normal time were still a point up but after Ciaran Murtagh scored a breakaway goal there was no way back for last year’s Tailteann Cup winners.
Going forward, Down were electric and their performance showcased a lot of hard work on the training ground to tailor their running game to suit football’s new rules.
Pat Havern (who finished with 11 points including four two-pointers) was pulled out to the edge of the 40-metre arc from where his cannon of a right boot was always a threat and even when a shot didn’t go the distance, full-back Ryan McEvoy (1-2) got forward to punch Down’s goal into the Rossies’ net.
But Down are going nowhere if they don’t tighten up in defence. Goalkeeper John O’Hare did save a penalty, but the three goals – including an Enda Smith strike in the first minute after he’d waltzed far too easily through the Mourne county defence – they conceded were all preventable.
At the final whistle there were seven points in it and Down went home disappointed. We’ve seen how near-misses like that tend to come back to bite teams when it comes to the final reckoning at the end of the League campaign.
Points on the board are all that matters and Conor Laverty’s men have to make home advantage count against Cork if they are to consolidate their hard-won second-tier status.
As for the Rebels, beating Meath at Páirc Ui Chaoimh last Saturday meant they recorded their first win on the opening weekend of the League since they were relegated from Division One in 2016.
They’ve lost their first game for three years in-a-row but – after eight departures from last year’s squad over the winter months and a long list of injuries including the experienced Brian Hurley – manager John Cleary and his men will have been delighted with a winning start.
It’s too early to make any assumptions but, from the evidence of the first weekend, the new rules could suit the Rebels.
Colm O’Callaghan in midfield is a strong runner who, like playmaker Eoghan McSweeney, is able to get his head up and kick quick ball up to Cork’s eager forwards, including Chris Óg Jones, who finished with 1-4 from play, and Nemo Rangers clubman Mark Cronin (0-7).
“I told the lads that if the game is there for the taking, go and take it,” said Cork manager Cleary after the morale-boosting victory.
“Down are going well by all accounts. Home advantage is a big thing, it got us over the line but we’ve to go up to Newry now and that’s a more difficult assignment. Hopefully we can do ourselves justice up there.”
Inconsistency has haunted Cork teams over recent seasons and, after a good start and a good performance against the Royals, they will be determined to kick on.
Sunday’s game is the first of three Ulster away games for the Rebels and if they can put two more points on the board they’ll be thinking seriously about a push for Division One.
It’s still early days but Down, who lost Kilcoo wing-back Hugh Pat McGeary to injury before half-time last Sunday, need a win to get them up-and-running and taking out the Rebels would be a huge boost for them.
They’ll have taken huge the positives from their trip to Roscommon and a similar total in Newry should earn them a first win but only if they can keep that door closed at the back.
