NFL Division 2
Down 1-13 v Armagh 1-06
MARTIN CRUMMY
DOWN hammered fierce rivals Armagh by seven points last night, to cement their place as red hot favourites for promotion from Division Two.
Armagh wing back Finnian Moriarity got his second yellow card in the 33rd minute, compounding the visitor's poor first half in Pairc Esler.
A rip-roaring start to this local derby, saw Bennie Coulter rattle home to the net after only 50 seconds.
Danny Hughes floated a ball into the square and when Andy Mallon and goalkeeper Philip McEvoy jumped for the ball and missed it, Coulter was on hand to give his side a dream start.
And they bombed on from that opening goal, to open up a 1-3 to 0-0 lead after 5 minutes.
Scores from late inclusion Mark Poland, Martin Clarke and a well worked Coulter point, were body blows to their near neighbours.
It went from bad to worse for the Orchard County and their Down native manager, as they were 1-5 to no score down by the tenth minute. Martin Clarke's left footed effort from the left wing, the pick of the bunch.
Armagh were given a little belief in the 12th minute, when Stefan Forker won a penalty off Dan McCartan, with Steven McDonnell sending the keeper the wrong way.
James McCartan's men then shipped a blow when play marker Martin Clarke had to come off injured, but they got back on the scoring track with Coulter popping over an easy chance.
McDonnell, though, was doing his usual trick for the Armagh men, turning his marker - Brendan McArdle - and slotting over to put three between the sides.
By the half time whistle, the gap remained three points, but Armagh had lost a man with Moriarity getting his marching orders.
A major re-jig in the Orchard ranks at half time, saw Malachy Mackin come in for Forker, with Aaron Kernan moving to his usual wing back role.
It made little initial impact though, as the lead stayed constant for the hosts, with McDonnell and Conor Maginn trading points in the opening exchanges of the second half.
Midfielder Rodgers got his second of the day in the 48th minute, to leave the scores 1-9 to 1-5, with Armagh struggling to get past Down's defence, especially being a man light.
Further frees from Conor Maginn and a super right footed effort by Rodgers added to Armagh's woes, as Down were up 1-11 to 1-08 with ten minutes left.
Paddy O'Rourke's men tried for an elusive goal in the remaining minutes, but Down's defence held firm, to record a famous victory.
Scorers: Down: B Coulter 1-1, M Poland 0-3 (2f),A Rodgers 0-3 (1f), J Clarke 0-2 (1f), M Clarke 0-2 (1f), C Maginn 0-1, D Hughes 0-1,
Armagh: S McDonnell 1-3 (1f , 1pen), G Swift 0-2, F Moriarity 0-1,
Down: D Alder; D McCartan, B McArdle, D Rafferty; K McKernan, J Colgan, C Garvey; A Rodgers, K King; D Hughes, M Clarke, S Kearney; M Poland, J Clarke, B Coulter. Subs: C Maginn for M Clarke (inj) 21, C Laverty for J Clarke 47, A Brannigan for K McKernan 60, J McGovern for S Kearney 63, R Murtagh for M Poland 63,
Armagh: P McEvoy; A Mallon, B Donaghy, P Duffy; P Kernan, C McKeever, F Moriarity; R Austin, K Toner; J Feeney, A Kernan, G Swift; R Henderson, S McDonald, S Forker. Subs: C Vernon for R Henderson 20, M Mackin for S Forker HT, M Ferris for C McKeever 41, M McNamee for R Austin 56, T Kernan for J Feeney 60,
Referee: Martin Sludden (Tyrone)
