The Downs comfortably deal with misfiring Moate men

The Downs 1-18, Moate All Whites 2-6

Gerry Buckley

County champions and Leinster finalists as recently as 2022, The Downs made little of some high-profile absentees to ease past a disappointing challenge from Moate All Whites in the teams’ Flanagan Cup opener in TEG Cusack Park last Saturday evening.

On this evidence, the men in the famous black and amber colours will be firm favourites to be one of the two teams to emerge from Section B, especially when at full-strength. For his part, Liam McNeill would look to have a lot of work to do to keep the Moate men clear of the dreaded relegation area.

Luke Loughlin, who put a sub-standard inter-county year by his lofty standards behind him last Saturday, opened the scoring with a ‘mark’ after a mere 35 seconds. A similar conversion at the other end from Ronan Murray levelled the contest some five minutes later.

The impressive Andrew Kilmartin fisted The Downs ahead in the ninth minute before Loughlin opened his account from play to double the winners’ lead. Murray converted his second ‘mark’ in the 11th minute, and his opposite number Kilmartin responded with a point at the end of a great move to put Johnny Murray’s men ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter. Robbie Forde, whose place-kicking was inconsistent overall, slotted over a very good free from the ground to halve the deficit in the 17th minute. Less than two minutes later, a high ball from Forde – assumedly meant for a point – was kept in play Cathal O’Brien, enabling Sam Fannin to find the net from close range for a tonic goal for the men in white.

However, the losers’ two-point lead was quickly wiped out courtesy of a point apiece from Loughlin (a fisted effort) and an Ian Martin free (via the crossbar). A routine free from Loughlin regained the advantage for The Downs. Billy Berry’s attempt to equalize with the last kick of the half dropped into the grateful arms of Trevor Martin, leaving Moate All Whites trailing by a point (0-7 to 1-3) at the end of an often-scrappy first moiety.

Scores were at a premium in the opening ten minutes of the second half, The Downs increasing their lead with points from Kilmartin (with his fist) and lively sub Conor Coughlan. Richie Price did very well to keep out Ian Martin’s goalbound shot in the 41st minute, but the Moate ‘keeper was beaten within two minutes by an intuitive flick from the same player at the end of a Charlie Drumm delivery. Coughlan soon doubled his tally to put The Downs seven points clear (1-10 to 1-3).

The All Whites then scored for the first time in 26 minutes via midfielder O’Brien. Loughlin responded with a wonderfully-curled shot. Moate’s slim hopes of staying in contention were boosted in the 47th minute when a great run from Daragh Lowry precipitated a classy low finish to the net from Tobby Conteh, after receiving a pass from fellow-sub Troy Bradley.

The respective numbers 14 and 15, Philip Martin and Forde, Kilmartin and Murray, soon traded points from play. However, a fit and focused Downs side wrapped up the two championship points on offer in fine style by scoring five unanswered points in the closing stages.

The white flags were raised by Loughlin (two – the first of them from a free), Coughlan, Kilmartin, and Joe Moran (to round off the scoring in added-time). The mercurial Loughlin could have scored two goals during this period, but his soccer-style effort was kept out by Richie Price, while a shot which did hit the net was disallowed for ‘steps’ en route.

Scorers – The Downs: L Loughlin 0-7 (2f, 1m), A Kilmartin 0-5, I Martin 1-1, C Coughlan 0-3, J Moran, P Martin 0-1 each.

Moate All Whites: T Conteh, S Fannin 1-0 each, R Murray 0-3 (2m), R Forde 0-2 (1f), C O’Brien 0-1.

The Downs: Trevor Martin; Peter Murray, Eanna Burke, Oisín Murphy; Joe Moran, Charlie Drumm, Oisín Loughlin; Ciaran Nolan, Lorcan Smullen; Kevin Smullen, Ian Martin, Shane Murtagh; Luke Loughlin, Philip Martin, Andrew Kilmartin. Subs used: Conor Coughlan for Murtagh (27), Liam Moran for K Smullen (41), Andrew Shaw for Murray (49), Matthew Cunningham for Murphy (57).

Moate All Whites: Richie Price; Tom Gorman, Andrew Gorman, Luke Whitney; Daragh Lowry, James Bracken, Dylan Nulty; Cathal O’Brien, Harry Niall; Sam Finnan, Paul Gorman, Eoin Bracken; Billy Berry, Robbie Forde, Ronan Murray. Subs used: Tobby Conteh for P Gorman (inj., 16), Troy Bradley for Nulty (h-t), Conor Bracken for Berry (54).

Ref: Barry Pierce (St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge).