DOWNINGS’ BID FOR a place in the Ulster Junior Championship final was ended by Monaghan side Blackhill this afternoon at Owenbeg.
Downings 0-6 Blackhill 0-13
Andy Connor’s team, the Donegal junior champions, put up a brave fight, but ultimately Blackhill had too much about them.
They led by six points, 0-9 to 0-3, at half-time, and the task proved too much for the Rossguill residents.
Downings had beaten Naomh Padraig, Muff to capture the Donegal Junior title last month and while Gary McClafferty returned to the starting XV here, Downings had to line out without the injured Eric Roberts.
[adrotate group=”76″]Blackhill started well with Tommy Graham, Colin Woods, Michael Graham and Philip Donnelly all scoring in the first eight minutes to open a 0-4 to 0-1 lead and Blackhill were never not in front thereafter.
They might have been in for a goal in the ninth minute. In fact, they were, but couldn’t convert. Darren Woods laid off to Michael Graham, who missed, albeit under pressure, from six yards.
A brace of Lorcan Connor points brought Downings to within a point, but they didn’t score in the final 17 minutes of the half as Blackhill took charge.
[adrotate group=”53″]Dermot Daly struck three of frees and with Michael Graham and Tommy Graham on target, they were six in front at the short whistle.
Downings, through a pair of Connor points, pulled the defict back to five early in the second half, but with Anthony Courtney and Colin Woods on the mark, Blackhill remained in firm control.
Downings’ cause wasn’t helped by a pair of quickfire black cards midway through the half as Ben McBride and Allen Pasoma had to be replaced.
[adrotate group=”38″]There were almost 20 minutes without a score and, while McClafferty – who had been Downings’ hero in the Donegal JFC final win over Muff – pointed for the Donegal side, Blackhill closed out well.
A brace of Daly frees in the closing moments sealed a comfortable seven-point win for the Monaghan champions.
Downings: Mark McBride; Max Davis, Shay Coyle, Aaron McClafferty; Brian McGinley, Kevin McGee, Kevin Doherty; Sean McBride, Sean McGinley; Allen Pasoma, Colin Gallagher (0-1), Oisin Boyce; James Lee McBride, Gary McClafferty (0-1), Lorcan Connor (0-4, 3f). Subs: Finian McClafferty for Gallagher (24), Ben McBride for S.McGinley (24), Seamus Gallagher for A.McClafferty (half-time), Hugo Davis for B.McBride (black card, 45), Shane Boyce for Pasoma (black card, 47), Seaghan McClafferty for S.McBride (50).
Blackhill: Michael Shovlin; Aaron Kenny, Donal Courtney, Thomas Courtney; Tommy Graham (0-1), Ryan Courtney, James Daly; Anthony Courtney (0-1), Dermot Daly (0-5, 4f); Hugh Byrne, Philip Donnelly (0-1), Ciaran Courtney; Michael Graham (0-2, 1f), Darren Woods, Colin Woods (0-1). Subs: Andrew Burns for T.Courtney (black card, 13), Eamon Byrne for D.Woods (51), Jason Finnegan for Burns (60).
Referee: Sean Laverty (Antrim).
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