The Downs produce impressive second half to reach final

The Downs 1-20, Mullingar Shamrocks 1-9

By Gerry Buckley

Despite being virtually unbackable as pre-match favourites, The Downs needed to produce a very strong second half display to dispose of a gritty Mullingar Shamrocks outfit in the second semi-final of the Westmeath senior football championship, played in ideal conditions for football at a well-attended TEG Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon.

In the end, the winning margin was 11 points, but a seismic shock had looked possible when the local side deservedly led at the interval, albeit by the narrowest of margins. However, Dermot Power’s troops upped the gears on the change of ends and inspired by a trademark goal of the highest quality in the 34th minute by talisman Luke Loughlin, they pulled away to set up a novel final against near neighbours Coralstown/Kinnegad on October 26.

No Shamrocks player had touched the ball by the time Loughlin edged The Downs ahead from a second-minute free. However, Micheál Burke’s charges soon settled into their task and they fired over three unanswered points by the 11th minute – a delightful brace from play by John O’Reilly preceding a routine free from Dean Moore. It was 0-3 apiece by the end of a disappointing opening quarter, the winners finding the target via Ian Martin (rounding off a great move) and another Loughlin free on the quarter-hour mark.

The latter and Joe Moran were prominent in a move which teed up Martin for a goal chance in the 20th minute, but Ross Corroon bravely smothered his shot at the expense of an unconverted ‘45’. Points from Oisín Murphy and Loughlin (who was just inside the 40-metre arc) ensued, sandwiched between which Denis Corroon almost got a potentially goal-scoring touch to a dangerous lob at the other end.

Moore (a free) and Kevin O’Sullivan (after a clever free by Loughlin) traded points before Loughlin availed of a poor kick-out to increase his tally. The men in black and amber now led by three points (0-7 to 0-4), but the complexion of the game changed entirely courtesy of a superb two-pointer from Paddy Fagan in the 28th minute which was quickly followed by a very well-taken goal by Brendan O’Reilly at the end of a terrific move. Loughlin was again the provider for Murphy to double his points tally in added-time, but the red-hot favourites still trailed by 1-6 to 0-8 at the interval.

Tom Tuite equalised some 20 seconds after play resumed. Three minutes later, a great pass by Jonathan Lynam picked out Loughlin in full flight and he soloed goalward before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Corroon. Moore replied with a free for the men in green and white, but a quickfire hat-trick of converted frees by Loughlin ensued at the other end to put the winners firmly in control (1-12 to 1-7).

Killian Daly did very well to stop Loughlin from doubling his goal haul, with the lively Martin picking up the pieces to double his points tally. Loughlin and Martin tagged on further points before Moore (a free) and Martin (open play) traded points. The gap was now eight points (1-16 to 1-8).

Shamrocks almost got a lifeline in the 51st minute, but John O’Reilly was bravely denied by Trevor Martin. With that, any chance of a miraculous comeback by the losers evaporated and The Downs eased their way to victory by outscoring their opponents by four points (a two-point free from Loughlin, and fisted points from impressive sub Conor Coughlan and Dean Egerton) to one (Moore with the Mullingar men’s only score from play in the second moiety) to progress to an eagerly-awaited showdown with their neighbours on Sunday week.

Scorers – The Downs: L Loughlin 1-10 (1 2ptf, 5f), I Martin 0-4, O Murphy 0-2, C Coughlan, K O’Sullivan, T Tuite, D Egerton 0-1 each.

Mullingar Shamrocks: D Moore 0-5 (4f), B O’Reilly 1-0, J O’Reilly, P Fagan (2pt) 0-2 each.

The Downs: Trevor Martin; Eanna Burke, Charlie Drumm, Peter Murray; Oisín Murphy, Ciaran Nolan, Joe Moran; Jonathan Lynam, Billy Moffatt; Kevin O’Sullivan, Ian Martin, Lorcan Mullen; Luke Loughlin, Dean Egerton, Tom Tuite. Subs used: Niall Mitchell for Mullen (38), Conor Coughlan for Moran (inj., 45), Philip Martin for Tuite (47), Dylan Carroll for Mitchell (inj., 55), Dan O’Callaghan for Lynam (60).

Mullingar Shamrocks: Ross Corroon; Adam Glynn, Dillon Matthews, Marc Eivers; Brendan O’Reilly, Killian Daly, Brian Guerin; Shane Ormsby, Daragh Daly; Donnacha Maguire, Paddy Fagan, John O’Reilly; Efe Siode, Denis Corroon, Dean Moore. Subs used: Jordan Warde for Eivers (inj., 18), Conor O’Brien for D Daly (38), Davy Gavin for Siode (46), Lorcan Smyth for Maguire (54), Conn O’Hanlon for K Daly (54).

Ref: Enda Kelly (Castledaly).