Gaelic Games

Tailteann Cup: Down secure another landmark win at Croke Park over Laois

Laois managed to stay in touch to create an interesting endgame, but anything other than a win for the Mourne men would have seemed unjust

Down’s captain Pierce Laverty lifts the Tailteann Cup. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Paul Keane at Croke Park
Sat Jul 13 2024 - 18:04
Tailteann Cup final: Down 0-14 Laois 2-6

A year after striking eight goals past Laois, Down didn’t raise a single green flag this time but the end result was the same as they secured another landmark Croke Park win.

Last year’s 8-16 humiliation of Laois came at the Tailteann Cup semi-final stage and Conor Laverty’s crew went on to lose the decider to Meath.

There was no such slip up this time though Down, leading by five points early in stoppage time, were pushed all the way by a terrific Mark Barry goal for Laois.

That strike got the margin back down to two points and Barry himself had a point attempt that he pulled wide shortly after while a goal chance for Laois at the death was cleared off the line.

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Still, anything but a Down win would have flattered Laois and the Mourne men will take their place in the race for Sam as an All-Ireland SFC team in 2025.

Man of the Match Odhran Murdock played a big role in the coveted win while Danny Magill, a second-half substitute, was central to the six points they kicked in a row which gave them a vital cushion to absorb that late Laois goal.

Down hit Laois hard and early in that semi-final encounter last year and they hinted at doing something similar again with three points in the first four minutes.

Liam Kerr, Pat Havern and Shealan Johnston grabbed those scores and all three players came to the party with stories to tell.

Down’s Ryan Johnston and Micheal Rooney tackle Brian Byrne of Laois. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho

Kerr, who blasted 3-2 against Laois last year, was recalled to the team after scoring 0-3 from the bench against Sligo while Havern started at midfield again despite wearing number 14. As for Johnston, the rumour beforehand was that he was to be replaced by Ryan Magill but the Kilcoo man started as planned.

Down made three changes from the extra-time semi-final win over Sligo; bringing back in Kerr along with Jonny Flynn and James Guinness.

Laois were unchanged and, after that tricky start, came strongly into the game, reeling off 1-2 between the seventh and 15th minutes.

Seamus Lacey grabbed the crucial 11th minute goal that put the Division Four champions ahead briefly, 1-1 to 0-3.

Lacey capitalised after Down goalkeeper John O’Hare, under pressure from Brian Byrne, punched the ball straight to him.

The scores dried up on Laois after Evan O’Carroll’s 15th minute point. They scored just one more point in the half and didn’t manage one from play until Conor Heffernan struck from long range in the 38th minute.

Down, meanwhile, had tonnes of possession and while they fired four of the game’s next five points to lead 0-8 to 1-3 at half-time, six first-half wides undermined them.

Laois goalkeeper Killian Roche, perhaps the best keeper in the competition this season, got all 14 of his first-half kick-outs away successfully.

The problem for Laois was they kept being turned over high up the pitch, allowing Down to break away with the ball. Murdock hit two excellent points for Down, one off either foot, but all those wides and a Kerr score attempt after another turnover that dropped short proved frustrating.

The sides shared six points equally in the third quarter, Laois initially scoring three in a row to take the lead before Down responded in kind.

Magill’s 44th minute introduction was central to Down’s resurgence. A goal-king for Down last year, Magill kicked back-to-back points this time before setting up Murdock for his third, 0-11 to 1-6.

It remained that way until substitute Caolan Mooney put Down three clear on the hour.

Down stretched to gap to five after reeling off six points in a row in all between the 46th and 69th minutes.

Laois looked a busted flush but dramatically grabbed a goal back through Barry in stoppage time to make it a really interesting final few minutes.

Down: J O’Hare; P Fegan (0-1), R McEvoy, P Laverty; M Rooney, D Guinness, S Johnston (0-1); Ó Murdock (0-3), P Havern (0-3, one free); P McCarthy, J Flynn (0-1), L Kerr (0-1); J Guinness, R Johnston (0-1), J McGovern. Subs: C Mooney (0-1) for McGovern, 39mins; D Magill (0-2) for Rooney, 44 mins; R Magill for J Guinness, 57 mins; C McCrickard for R Johnston, 69 mins; F McElroy for Kerr, 73 mins.

Laois: K Roche (0-1, one free); J Kelly, S Fingleton, M Timmons; S Lacey (1-0), B Byrne, B Dempsey; D Larkin, C Heffernan (0-1); N Dunne, E Lowry, K Swayne; M Barry (1-2, one free), E O’Carroll (0-1), P Kingston (0-1, one free). Subs: R Murphy for Lowry, 57 mins; S Fitzpatrick for Kingston, 66 mins; K Lillis for Larkin, 69 mins; C Burke for Dunne, 69 mins; E Buggie for Kelly, 71 mins.

Referee: B Griffin (Kerry).