Late goal ends champions’ campaign

Tyrrellspass 1-12, The Downs 0-14

Defending champions The Downs are out of this year’s race for the Flanagan Cup after an injury-time Tommy Ryan goal swept Tyrrellspass to a win they scarcely looked like accomplishing midway through the second half in Rochfortbridge on Sunday evening last.

The Downs had dominated most of the exchanges up to that point and led by five points going into the last quarter and in truth were well deserving of that advantage, but the Tidy town are never beaten and showed immense guts and tenacity.  Just when all hope looked lost, up popped Ryan for the killer score in a most dramatic finale. It was a tempestuous encounter especially in the second half and tempers flared at times, with Dean McNicholas receiving a red card after the goal when he needlessly clashed with The Downs 'keeper. The Downs also finished the game with 14 men as Ciaran Nolan picked up a black card and several other players could have joined him in the sin bin following frenetic exchanges in the second half.

However, the Downs have only themselves to blame as they squandered far too many scorable chances and will now have at least a year to regain the title while the win for Tyrrells pass puts them right back in the frame for a semi-final spot with a game still to play.

The game was barely a pup when Luke Loughlin opened the scoring with a beauty from a very tight angle, but three minutes later Tommy Ryan equalised from an equally narrow area at the opposite end. The next 12 minutes were completely owned by the Black and ambers who hit the next six point without reply, with Loughlin adding a free and a splendid effort from long-range. He then set up Kevin O’Sullivan for another and Dean Egerton, Liam Moran and Tom Tuite added three marvellous team scores that saw the Downs lead handsomely by 0-7 to 0-1 after the first quarter. They looked well in control at this stage.

Tyrrellspass were sluggish in attack but they hit back with four McNicholas frees in a row as The Downs began to foul themselves out of the game, and some were certainly of the needless variety. All of a sudden we had a game on our hands. However, Loughlin stopped the rot with a free he won himself, but in the shadow of half-time Evan Connell narrowed the gap with an excellent score and after playing poorly it must be said, the Sky Blues went in at the break just two points down on 0-8 point to 0-6 scoreline.

WONDERFUL MOVE

After the break the whole intensity of the game moved up a level with once again the Downs shooting out of the blocks, and with Luke Loughlin directing operations majestically, they hit the next three, with Moran adding his second directly from the throw-in, Tom Tuite (with a free off the right) and Loughlin kicking a majestic score from almost on the sideline. McNicholas narrowed the gap again from a placed ball, but immediately the Downs replied with Tuite finishing a flowing team move with aplomb for an excellent point.

County star Jamie Gonoud stepped forward and brought Tyrrellspass back into the game, but after goal chances were squandered at either end, Tuite pointed another placed ball and with 13 minutes to go it looked a done deal. But Tyrrellspass weren’t finished yet and with their championship ambitions on the line, they dug deep with another McNicholas free and a superb individual score from Connell epitomising their spirit. Loughlin replied immediately at the other end and in the afters of that score, yellow cards were issued like confetti as the game deteriorated.

The Downs' Ciaran Nolan picked up a black card which seemed to turn the tide. McNicholas got his first score from play after a quick free and then Aaron O’Brien had a great goal chance denied before Tommy Ryan left two between the sides as we headed for added time. The momentum was all with Tyrrellspass at this stage and after a wonderful move, Ryan was the man in the right place to swing a boot and score the game defining goal.

The Downs pressed desperately for the leveller in an effort to rescue their season: Daragh Egerton had a goal chance repelled and Loughlin missed a '45', but that was all she wrote and from the flames the Sky Blue phoenix had risen to claim a memorable win.

Scorers - Tyrrellspass: Dean McNicholas 0-7 (6 frees), Tommy Ryan 1-2 (1 free), Evan Connell 0-2, Jamie Gonoud 0-1.

The Downs: Luke Loughlin 0-6 (1 free), Tom Tuite 0-4 (2 frees), Liam Moran 0-2, Kevin O’Sullivan and Dean Egerton 0-1 each.

Tyrrellspass: Joe Hyland, Peter Clarke, Cormac Monaghan, Jamie Gonoud, Nigel Harte, Conor Slevin, Aaron O’Brien, Adam Flanagan, Denis Glennon, Val Sizychas, Dean McNicholas, Tommy Ryan, Kieran Geraghty, David Glennon and Evan Connell. Subs: Peter Pierson for Geraghty (39 mins), Cathal Dunne for Harte (65 mins).

The Downs: Trevor Martin, Daragh Egerton, Peter Murray, Eanna Burke, Oisin Murphy, Charlie Drumm, Trevor Fitzpatrick, Liam Moran, Johnny Lynam, Ciaran Nolan, Kevin O’Sullivan, Ian Martin, Dean Egerton, Luke Loughlin and Tom Tuite.

Referee: Damien Maher (Ballynacargy).

Examiner's Eye on the game

Man of The Match

Luke Loughlin (The Downs): Ryan, Gonoud, Harte and Slevin were excellent for Tyrrellspass while McNicholas frees kept them in the game at times while Tuite and Daragh Egerton outstanding for the Downs but even though he was on the losing side, Luke Loughlin gets the nod for a wonderful individual display.

Match officials

In a tough game with plenty at stake, there was one red card and one black card in the second half, but a number of other players who joined in different incidents were fortunate to remain on the pitch as intensity levels rose.

What it means

The Downs’ reign as champions is over and they are in Section B next year; Tyrrellspass are back in the mix for the quarter-final but must get something from the final game against Coralstown/Kinnegad.