Kilmartin score defeats Caulry

The Downs 1-13 Caulry 2-9

The Downs kept their perfect season on track in the second of a double header in the Rochfortbridge heat on Sunday afternoon last, and they did it in the most dramatic of fashion, when Andy Kilmartin fisted the winner in the fourth minute of added time.

This was a classic contest in every sense and held you in its grip from start to finish, and Caulry continued their upward trajectory with a totally committed and defiant display, even without the talismanic Kevin Maguire.

But The Downs, short of several regulars themselves, somehow managed to do what all good teams do and eke out a result, even against the odds and run of play at times. They can be more than thankful to Kilmartin, who finished with an impressive 1-6 from play and was the real difference between the sides.

But with a very young squad in the main, it may not be long before the Mount Temple men sit at the top table themselves and with a game to go, they are still in the mix for a playoff place. Meanwhile, The Downs cemented their credentials as serious challengers for the Flanagan Cup as we head to the business end of Championship 2022.

The game was barely a pup when Caulry got the perfect start, and Senan Baker rounded two men to fire brilliantly to the net for the opening score. He could have had a second moments later, but was denied by Trevor Martin in The Downs goal.

The Black and Ambers settled and were soon level through a Tom Tuite free, a Dean Clarke ’45’ and a superb fisted point from Kilmartin. But Baker repeated his earlier feat with an almost carbon copy second goal for the Reds and they regained the lead.

Another Tuite free and a fine Ian Martin strike reduced the gap to the minimum, but Conor McCormack negated that at the other end for Caulry.

Martin added his second under severe pressure and then Kilmartin put The Downs in front for the first time with a stunning goal after great work by Niall Mitchell. Kilmartin then added two amazing points thereafter to put daylight between the sides.

Colin Murphy reduced the gap for Caulry after a lung-busting run from Eoin Fox found him, but Clarke finished the first half scoring with another ’45’ and The Downs led 1-9 to 2-2 at the short whistle.

Tuite extended that gap with another placed ball, but Caulry then hit three in a row through a McCormack free, Baker from play (after wonderful approach work by Sean Clinton) and Stephen Connolly (after a field-long move), and it was game on again.

Kilmartin was almost on a solo mission at this stage and first fisted and then kicked points that were worth the admission money alone to extend the lead to four again. But just before the water break, Connolly and Baker (a free) reduced that gap to manageable proportions as we waited with bated and dry breath for the last quarter.

Sub Harry Hughes reduced the deficit to the minimum for Caulry with an outrageous score from near the sideline, but the game then hit its only hiatus as the heat began to take its toll, and Caulry lost Paddy Sleator to a black card.

At this stage, we assumed that the Reds had lost their chance, but amazingly they rallied unbelievably and were patient until sub Thomas Dunning levelled with 62 minutes on the clock.

Now Caulry were in the ascendant, and when Baker was fouled he stood up to take what we imagined would be the winner, but his effort was fielded on the line by Peter Murray.

From the resulting break, who else but Kilmartin was Johnny on the spot to fist over the winner and take the spoils for The Downs, after an epic 64 minutes that had a bit of everything and a little more besides.

Scorers – The Downs: A Kilmartin 1-6, T Tuite 0-3f, D Clarke (’45s’) and I Martin 0-2 each. Caulry: S Baker 2-2 (0-1f), S Connolly and C McCormack (frees) 0-2 each, C Murphy, H Hughes and T Dunning 0-1 each.

The Downs: Trevor Martin; Daragh Egerton, Peter Murray, Liam Faulkner; Harry Caulfield, Mark Kelly, Joe Moran; Kevin O’Sullivan, Dean Clarke; Ciaran Nolan, Andy Kilmartin, Ian Martin; Jack Carroll, Niall Mitchell, Tom Tuite. Subs: Eanna Burke for Faulkner (19), Adam Loughlin for Carroll (48), Jonathan Lynam for Clarke (53), Liam Moran for Mitchell (59).

Caulry: Jack Connaughton; Eoin Fox, Dylan Lowry, Tom Cloonan; Damien Dolan, Eoghan Grennan, Sean Clinton; Stephen Connolly, Sean Doyle; Paddy Sleator, Conor McCormack, Ben Moran; Alan Malynn, Colin Murphy, Senan Baker. Subs: Andy O’Sullivan for Malynn (h-t), Harry Hughes for Cloonan (52), Neil Clinton for Murphy (52), Thomas Dunning for McCormack (58).

Ref: Barry Kelly (Mullingar Shamrocks).

Man of the match: Andy Kilmartin (The Downs).

Kilmartin not only delivered the crucial winning score for The Downs, but also finished the game with an impressive haul of 1-6.

The key moment: Peter Murray's interception of Senan Baker's free for Caulry, which led to the winning score for Kilmartin, was a crucial moment.