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Down secure their place in semi-finals

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Down 2-11 Laois 0-10: DOWN HAD too much scoring power for Laois and, in the process, consigned…

Mon Apr 09 2012 - 01:00

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Down 2-11 Laois 0-10:DOWN HAD too much scoring power for Laois and, in the process, consigned the hosts to Division Two for next year.

The Ulster men booked a place in the Division One semi-final where they will face Cork but manager James McCartan was regarding that prospect as a double-edged sword.

“Cork have been handing us fairly heavy defeats over the past wee while, so sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for,” said McCartan.

“We’ve lost a few players today through injury. Dan Gordon has to have an X-ray on his foot and he would be a key player for us, and Neil McParland picked up an injury too. Sometimes when you get into semi-finals, the extra games you have help you but you leave yourself open to injuries and suspensions.”

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Conor Laverty bagged the first goal early on and, in general, Down were much more clinical in the attacking department. Indeed, Laois clocked up nine wides alone in the opening period.

They began the second half better with a point from Colm Begley but Benny Coulter stuck for 1-1 in the space of five minutes, the goal coming as a result of good work by Laverty and Aidan Carr.

Laois managed to reduce the deficit to four points but Down finished strongly with the last three points to confirm their date with the Rebels, and Laois’s fate.

“The goals were the real difference and left them chasing the game,” concluded McCartan.

DOWN: B McVeigh; D McCartan, D Gordon, A Branagan; N McParland, B McArdle, C Garvey (0-1); A Rogers (0-1), K King; K McKernan, M Poland (0-1), A Carr (0-2, 0-1 free); A McConville (0-3, 0-2 frees), B Coulter (1-1), C Laverty (1-0). Subs: K Quinn (0-2) for McParland (inj, 32 mins), D Turley for Gordon (44 mins); N Brannigan for Branagan (66); M Miskelly for Laverty (71).

LAOIS: E Culliton; C Healy, M Timmons, K Lillis; K Meaney, P O'Leary, C Boyle (0-1), B Quigley (0-1), J O'Loughlin; B Sheehan, R Munnelly (0-1), D Strong; C Begley (0-1), P Clancy, G Walsh (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 45). Subs: D O'Connor (0-1) for Timmons (inj, 25 mins); P Cahillane (0-1) for Walsh (half-time); D Conway (0-1, free) for Munnelly (53); C Kelly (0-1, free) for Sheehan (60); S Conroy for Clancy (71 mins).

Referee: S Doyle(Wexford).