The 16th Man

Supporters at Croke Park were treated to a dramatic finish as Down qualified for their first All – Ireland final since 1994.
The Mourne men controlled the game throughout but found it difficult to shake off a dogged and courageous Kildare.
Kieran McGeeney’s men were loosing by a margin of seven points with only twenty minutes remaining, however his side rallied and would have left headquarters victorious had Robert Kelly’s last gasp strike squeezed under the crossbar.
Luck eluded the Lilywhites throughout, Down’s Benny Coulter appearing to enter the square too early before fisting home while Eamon Callaghan was despaired to see a shot crashing against the post.
Despite this James McCartan’s team were well worth their place in the final and will meet Cork on the 19th September.
Kildare were first out of the blocks, points from Eamon Callaghan, James Kavanagh and the excellent Johnny Doyle gave them an early lead.
However fortune favours the brave and Benny Coulter was just that as he fisted in a controversial 12th minute goal. Coulter appeared to enter the square early before connecting with Marty Clarke’s searching centre. Calls for a square ball were ignored by referee Pat McEnaney, his umpires giving him no reason to blow for an infringement.
The goal acted as a springboard for Down and they never looked back, Kevin Mc Kernan and Mark Poland quickly added points.
Doyle was formidable all day, his frees kept Kildare in touch for the rest of the half, while scores from Danny Hughes, Poland, Paul McComiskey, Clarke and Coulter gave Down a 1-09 to 0-07 lead at the break.
Clarke’s fine form continued in the second half, the playmaker added another from a free before Kildare’s Emmet Bolton brought the deficit back to five.
Kildare hit the woodwork for the first time through Eamon Callaghan, his well placed effort hitting the post, before Down were denied by Shane McCormack at the other end.
Clarke was finding more and more space to operate, and his clinical passing afforded space for Poland and Peter Fitzpatrick to open a seven point gap.
Kildare fans had their spirits immediately lifted through Eamon Callaghan, he made up for his earlier miss by rounding Brendan McVeigh and finding the roof of the net.
Callaghan appeared to take several extra steps on route to goal, however a hint of a foul and Coulter’s earlier fortune seemed to balance things out.
Spirit and determination kept Kildare ticking over, two long-range thumps from Hugo Lynch and points from Doyle and David Lyons reduced the gap to two points.
Kildare needed a goal, a free on the edge of the Down square offered Robert Kelly the chance to win the game. The Mourne Men packed the line and a combination of fingertips and crossbar deflected the ball clear.
It was a fitting end to a gripping encounter appreciated by both sets of supporters who stayed behind in Croke Park to applaud the players of the pitch.
Kildare
S McCormack, P Kelly, H McGrillen, A MacLochlainn, M O’Flaherty (0-1), E Bolton (0-1), B Flanagan, D Flynn, H Lynch (0-2), J Kavanagh (0-1), P O’Neill, E O’Flaherty, J Doyle (0-6, 5f), A Smith, E Callaghan (1-1).

Subs
R Sweeney for Flynn, K Ennis (0-1) for M O’Flaherty, D Lyons (0-1) for M O’Flaherty, R Kelly for Smith, T O’Connor for Lynch.
Down
B McVeigh, D McCartan, D Gordon, D Rafferty, D Rooney, K McKernan (0-2), C Garvey, P Fitzpatrick (0-1), K King; D Hughes (0-2), M Poland (0-3, 3f), P McComiskey (0-1), B Coulter (1-2), J Clarke, M Clarke (0-3, 2f).

Subs
A Brannigan for Garvey, C Maginn (0-1) for J Clarke, R Murtagh (0-1) for McComiskey, J Colgan for Poland.
Referee
Pat McEnaney (Monaghan).

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