30 Aug 2010
Down emerge narrow victors in thrilling encounter
Comment (0)Down trumped Kildare with a brilliant footballing display to reach the All-Ireland final, but only after the most dramatic finish of the season so far.
After a thrilling match, Down led by just two points when Kildare sub Robert Kelly smashed a free against the crossbar with the last kick of the game.
The Ulstermen dominated for most of the match, with their lead stretching to seven points at one stage in the second half.
But it was the Lilywhites who enjoyed the better start. In the opening ten minutes Kildare completely dominated play, keeping the dangerous Down forwards quiet.
For all their possession, Kildare weren’t truly able to hit Down hard, registering just 0-3 in those opening ten minutes. The failure to take their chances when they were available would eventually come back to hurt Kieran McGeeney’s side.
In a game of many talking points, one of the bigger ones came in the twelfth minute with a controversial Down goal.
Martin Clarke delivered a high ball in towards goal, and Benny Coulter appeared to have entered the square too early before fisting the ball over Shane McCormack in goal for the Lilywhites.
Despite protests from the Kildare faithful, the goal stood and signalled the beginning of a long spell of dominance for Down. Kevin McKernan spurred his side on from the back with an excellent point followed by five more from the Mourne men to give a half-time scoreline of 1-9 to 0-7.
Many Kildare fans remarked at half-time that they were a ‘second-half team’ but Down still were in control after the break.
Martin Clarke again proved his worth, extending the lead to 0-6 ten minutes after half-time. Kildare were unable to reply until the sixty-first minute.
Point scoring continued tit-for-tat until Peter Fitzpatrick pointed minutes later, extending the Northerners’ lead to 0-7.
Kildare brought themselves right back into the match straight away, through an Eamon Callaghan goal. The corner forward burst through the Down half-back and full-back lines before finishing past the marooned Brendan McVeigh.
Two Hugh Lynch points for the Lilywhites set up a heartstopping finish, but Kelly’s last-gasp miss gave Down a narrow 1-16 to 1-14 win.
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: P McEnaney (Monaghan).



HSwestmeath: Flanagan gutted http://t.co/7WKJFmDi #westmeath #gaa
GAA_BEO: Rampant Galway put Rossies to the sword http://t.co/IICnq0dZ VIA Irish Times #GAA
GAA_BEO: Donegal show young Cavan how far they've to go http://t.co/xuGqEcRM VIA Irish Times #GAA
GAA_BEO: Dardis inspires Meath http://t.co/uvvqIDef VIA Irish Times #GAA
GAA_BEO: Nothing shocking about Longford's victory http://t.co/NXiFzDxR VIA Irish Times #GAA
GAA_BEO: Westmeath's power tells http://t.co/ngVqjNal VIA Irish Times #GAA
DelboyG76: Big blow for Monaghan this weekend @darrenqz out apparently, http://t.co/M3x39MKO #gaa #massiveloss
georgi_rose1D: RT @ThatsPureIrish: are you a sub ? ....can i use your gloves ? #gaa
HSoffaly: Ballymanus Notes http://t.co/FFQ5PMeC #offaly #gaa
HSoffaly: Edenderry GAA Club Notes http://t.co/CTN6Jxrn #offaly #gaa
HSderry: Watty Grahams, Glen Club notes http://t.co/jHG9AnDO #derry #gaa
MarkAMcGregor: RT @UlsterGAAinfo: Big blow for Monaghan, but more importantly speedy recovery to Hughes http://t.co/nkNqoYhw #GAA #UladhAbu
danny_teague: "@GAA_BEO: Cunniffe calls shots for Leitrim http://t.co/Za2ziivf VIA IND. #GAA" @bogue_ryan @SeanCorrigan3 @cathal_mcgarry @DMGaa
GAA_BEO: Monaghan suffer Hughes blow http://t.co/1Ms8Tdoy VIA Hogan Stand #GAA
GAA_BEO: Des defiant http://t.co/oQw961dw VIA Hogan Stand #GAA
UlsterBankGAA: Have a question for our GAA stars @KarlLacey4 @Darransull86 and others, then post a comment with your question here:
UlsterBankGAA: I posted 3 photos on Facebook in the album "Ulster Bank GAA Force Winners" http://t.co/FCKj9rGw
UlsterBankGAA: Dublin captain Bryan Cullen is to join Leinster as a strength and conditioning coach. #GAA
UlsterBankGAA: Check out what Danny Hughes thinks of this Sundays All Ireland Final http://t.co/boooezrR #GAA
UlsterBankGAA: Have you played our GAA Game yet? You could be in with a chance to win tickets to FeverPitch http://t.co/vK5n3oRX #GAA
UlsterBankGAA: Play our GAA Game to be in with a chance to win tickets to FeverPitch! http://t.co/vK5n3oRX #GAA
UlsterBankGAA: Win tickets to FeverPitch by playing the Ulster Bank GAA game, http://t.co/9rxASFj #gaa #comp
UlsterBankGAA: I posted 34 photos on Facebook in the album "Sam Maguire in Dublin" http://t.co/Ehz6sQU
UlsterBankGAA: I posted 33 photos on Facebook in the album "The Sam Maguire in Kerry" http://t.co/DG4ZScY
UlsterBankGAA: I posted 8 photos on Facebook in the album "Newstalk Off The Ball Roadshow" http://t.co/IAqqGXf
UlsterBankGAA: I posted 3 photos on Facebook in the album "18 August 2011" http://t.co/M4zmVp8
UlsterBankGAA: Has referee Pat McEaney refereed his last game? http://t.co/o7fmqik #gaa
UlsterBankGAA: GAA questions? Tweet them to @UlsterBankGAA and we will pick the best ones to ask the Off the Ball panel live on air tonight. #gaa
UlsterBankGAA: Have you downloaded the new 16th Man iPhone app yet? Just search Ulster Bank GAA in the app store for your free app! http://fb.me/VYsSTQj7
UlsterBankGAA: Peter Sweeney's thoughts on the last four contenders for the Sam Maguire http://bit.ly/oxu1Ed #GAA
UlsterBankGAA: Dublin and Tyrone have both announced their line-up for Saturdays game. Dublin: http://tiny.cc/qth3r Tyrone: http://tiny.cc/93kl0 #gaa
UlsterBankGAA: Fermanagh GAA player Mark McGovern has woken up from a coma that he has been in since June. http://bit.ly/pjfqLz #rte #gaa
UlsterBankGAA: For this weekends match previews check out #rte http://bit.ly/qgIMl2 #gaa
UlsterBankGAA: Mick O'Dwyer offers his opinion about the way the Football Championship should be structured. http://bit.ly/r0LCtB