Down survive a Clare scare

Down 1-13 Clare 1-12:LAST YEAR'S All-Ireland finalists Down were let off the hook by home side Clare at Cusack Park, Ennis, on Saturday evening.

This was a game that Clare could have won and were it not for the alertness of Down corner-forward Conor Laverty in injury-time, Clare would have a famous victory.

With Down leading by 1-13 to 1-12 and the game in injury-time, Clare’s Joe Dowling floated a high dropping ball into his opponent’s square.

Goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh jumped with Clare’s Laurence Healy and missed it completely but Laverty – who found himself in a defensive position – managed to knock it clear off the goal line.

Down led by 1-6 to 1-5 at the break after taking a 1-2 to 0-0 lead. But Timmy Ryan’s goal for Clare in the 18th minute gave the Banner the edge, 1-3 to 1-2.

In the second period, the Ulster men raced into a six-point lead before Clare fought their way back into the contest. The Banner men registered the next five points, culminating in David Tubridy levelling for Clare in the 67th minute, with the sides locked at 1-12.

Crucially however, Clare never actually managed to get their noses in front, despite limiting Down to just two points in the last 26 minutes.

Paul McComiskey saved Down’s blushes in the very last minute when he fisted what would prove to be the winning point, but if Laverty hadn’t come to the rescue moments later, it would have been Clare’s marching on.

DOWN: B McVeigh; M Brannigan, D Gordon, B McArdle (0-1); K McKernan, D Rooney, K Duffin; M Clarke (0-2, frees), K King; C Mooney (0-1), M Poland (0-1), L Doyle, P McComiskey (0-4, 0-2 frees), B Coulter (0-1), C Laverty (1-3). Subs: P Murphy for King (49 mins), D O’Hagen for Duffin (54 mins), P Fitzpatrick for Doyle (60 mins), K King for Murphy (63 mins).

CLARE: Joe Hayes; K Hartnett, B Duggan, L Healy; M McMahon, John Hayes (0-1), M Tubridy (0-1); G Brennan (0-2), G Quinlan (0-1); A Clohessy (0-1), D Tubridy (0-4, 0-3 frees), C O’Connor; R Donnelly, T Ryan (1-0), N Browne. Subs: D Callinan for M Tubridy (49 mins), J Dowling (0-2) for Ryan (52 mins), M Foran for Browne (63 mins), D Russell for O’Connor (65 mins).

Referee: P O’Sullivan (Kerry).