Down suffer loss against Roscommon in Dr Hyde Park scorefest
The FRC’s rule enhancements had their effect with eight two-pointers scored between the sides
Pat Havern raised four orange flags with his two-pointers against Roscommon on Sunday
ByKevin Egan
Allianz Football League Division Two, round oneRoscommon 3-21 Down 1-20
Maybe it was the new rules, or maybe these two teams would just have caught fire anyway. The fact that this was the highest-scoring tie of the weekend by some distance would suggest it was the latter, but either way, it felt like a whole new world for gaelic football in Dr. Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s bedlam out there lads, absolute bedlam. There’s no point anyone telling you they know the full craic” said Davy Burke, and most of the supporters of both teams would have concurred.
Niall Cullen did his best to keep up, but the Fermanagh official had months of training. The fans? They were all at sea – though they couldn’t afford to look away.
“There’s lads shouting and the crowd are roaring. When Down got the black card, there were people going mad that they only had two up, but they’re allowed do that” said Burke.
“It’s the first day, we’ve probably given everyone their fill of it. Everyone is learning. We had a mark before half-time, Enda got the mark and went at goal but the referee blew up the whistle. Niall (Cullen) admitted he was wrong, but we’re all going to get things wrong”.
As a footballing spectacle, it was exhausting to watch. Enda Smith’s barnstorming run and close-range finish got the Rossies off to a dream start, while Diarmuid Murtagh and Daire Cregg caused Conor Laverty to reshuffle his defence early.
At the other end, it was all about the Pat-Havern-led aerial assault. The Saval man hoisted four two-pointers over Conor Carroll, with James Guinness and Ryan McEvoy also giving the fans a look at the brand-new orange flag.
Down's Ryan McEvoy turns away after scoring a first half goal against Roscommon. PICTURE: Louis McNally
McEvoy leapt highest to palm a Havern shot to the net, Cian McKeon punished a spill in the Down goalmouth with a goal, and by half-time Down were 1-14 to 2-6 on the board and it still felt like a 50/50 game.
In the midst of all this, there were black cards, ‘three men up’ infringements, incorrect flags waved by umpires and a few reversed calls by the referee, John O’Hare saving an Enda Smith penalty. If Storm Éowyn was a football match, it would have been this game.
For the third quarter, it felt like relative calm. The two sides shot four points each – Roscommon getting the first double from Shane Cunnane – and Down looked like they might hold on.
That was until Burke emptied his bench and blew the Mourne men away. Ciaráin Murtagh hit an early contender for goal of the season, hitting the net from 50 metres out, and he added a two-pointer for good measure.
Down keeper John O Hare saving a penalty against Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park in their Allianz Football League match. Picture: Louise McNally
Donie Smith and Ben O’Carroll added points, and even Laverty’s decision to bring on Oisín Savage and let Danny Magill take over in nets didn’t stem the tide, though Magill did make a fine save to deny Cregg another goal.
And like the storm, then it was all over – but the landscape had been dramatically altered.
Roscommon C Carroll; N Higgins, P Frost, C Neary; B Stack, S Cunnane (0-2, tp), T Lambe; E Nolan (0-1), K Doyle; S Killoran (0-1), U Harney, E Smith (1-1); D Murtagh (0-7, 1tp, 3f), Cian McKeon (1-1), D Cregg (0-4, 2f)
Subs C Murtagh (1-2, 1tp) for Killoran (half-time), S Lambe for T Lambe (41), B O’Carroll (0-1) for Harney (41), D Ruane for Doyle (47), D Smith (0-1) for Ruane (60)
Wides 5
Yellow cards Killoran (34)
Black cards Cregg (54)
Down J O’Hare; P Fegan, P Laverty, HP McGeary; P McCarthy (0-1), R McEvoy (1-2, 1tp), C Doherty; D Guinness, R Magill; E McCrickard, J Guinness (0-2, tp), D Magill (0-2); O Murdock, P Havern (0-11, 3tpf, 1tp, 0-1f), G McKibben (0-1)
Subs M Rooney for McGeary (26), C McCrickard for E McCrickard (60), O Savage for O’Hare (66)
