Down Prove Too Strong For Offaly

NY GAA Senior 'B' Football Final
Down 4-12
Offaly 1-8

By Eoghan McHale

Down were convincing winners in this Senior 'B' Final in Gaelic Park on Sunday afternoon.

They proved to be too strong for Offaly who had put in a brave first half display, but it was Down who triumphed in the end thanks to their full-forward James McGovern who was named man of the match.

The game was held up after a minute of play with Trevor Banon having to be carried off with what looked to be a serious knee injury. When the play eventually resumed both sides went score for score to leave it at three a piece.

Down then got going and took a three-point lead with good scores from Seamus Kelly and McGovern.

Both sides were lucky not to be reduced to fourteen men after Diarmuid Casey and Mike Bryan got involved in an off the ball incident midway through the half.

Offaly were then given a massive break after Colin White's miskick found its way into the hands of Tommy Quaid who was taken down for a penalty.

However Mark Kelly in the Down goal guessed right and dived to his left-hand side to push Brendan Moran's effort around the post.

Offaly didn't let their heads drop though and after Brendan Smith converted the resulting forty five, Ross Brady added two further points to leave it with just one between the sides.

Down midfielder Shaun Munnelly replied with a huge point right on the stroke of half time to leave the score 0-8 to 0-6 in Down's favour.

The second half started brightly with Seamus Kelly scoring an excellent goal after a fine run from influential right half back Barry Annette.

Moran replied for Offaly in between three points by Down's James McGovern who was really beginning to show his dominance in the game.

Substitute David O'Connor then went on a fantastic solo run and unselfishly played it across to McGovern who dummied the keeper to blast home another Down goal.

A quick free kick was taken by Liam Farrell which found James McGovern unmarked in acres of space and he added his second goal in two minutes.

The referee then pulled play back for an off the ball incident and when the handbags were finally put away, the referee sent Mike Doolan and Seamus Kelly to the line.

Offaly's best player of the day Ross Brady then scored the goal of the day when he riffled home to the top corner with the goal line seemingly covered.

David O'Connor then added a great point for Down to leave many spectators puzzled as to why he was left out of the starting fifteen.

James McGovern showed his final bit of class in the game when he cleverly palmed the ball into Mick Leans path and he coolly finished past the on coming keeper. Ross Brady had the final score of the day with a nice point from distance. C

Teams & Scorers:
Down:
M. Kelly, B. Murphy, E. O'Hagan, D. Casey, B. Annette, A. Carr, P. Coyne, S. Munnelly (0-1) , P. Higgins, L. Farrell, M. Dobbins (0-2), S. Kelly (0-1) , S. Kelly (1-0) , J. McGovern (2-6) , B. McElduff (0-1); Subs; D. O'Connor (0-1), M. Lean (1-0)
Offaly: J. McGinlay, M. Dolan, T. Bannon, B. Delaney, N. Coughlan, M. Dolan, B. Smyth (0-2) , V. Gavin, K. Bergin, M. Bryan, T. Quaid (0-1), D. Duncan, R. Brady (1-3), C. White, B. Moran (0-2)