Do or die clash for Down ladies

By Shaun Casey

IT’S do or die for the Down ladies in Páirc Esler, Newry this weekend against their Ulster foes Tyrone and they need to get some points on the board, or their season will come to an abrupt ending.

Colm Donnelly’s girls, who lost their opening round clash against Westmeath despite putting in a notable battling performance, must get something from Sunday’s showdown or they’ll finish bottom of the three-team group.

Tyrone, who operated in Division One this season, had a bye last weekend so they’re getting their All-Ireland Intermediate Championship account up and running before facing a final round clash against Westmeath.

The two-point defeated suffered at the hands of the Lake County in Ballynacargy GAA grounds, has put Down on the back foot straight away but they showed enough last week to head into round two full of confidence.

Star player Eimear Fitzpatrick saw her second-half penalty turned away and had that gone in, Down would be entering the Tyrone tussle with a different mindset. Instead, they’re forced to come out swinging.

Fitzpatrick impressed in round one with her accuracy from dead balls and she top scored for her side on the day with 0-5. Niamh Rice bagged Down’s only goal while Eva Hicks, Niamh McClory, Aoife Laverty and Laoise Duffy also got their names on the scoresheet.

Down, who finished midtable in Division Three and suffered a hefty defeat to Cavan in the Ulster Intermediate decider, beat Tyrone in the Ulster Championship semi-finals after extra-time at Dungannon.

That was Tyrone’s last outing and Darren McCann’s side will be eager to hit the ground running now that they have entered the All-Ireland race, where they reached the decider last season, but lost out to Leitrim by the minimum of margins.

Cavan are also hoping to bounce back this weekend following their first-round defeat to near neighbours Monaghan. Just one point separated the two teams when they butted heads at Clones last weekend.

The Breffni Blues looked to have the two points wrapped up at half time as they charged into a six-point advantage at the break, with an early Aishling Sheridan goal putting them 1-8 to 1-2 to the good.

Monaghan also hit the net during that opening period, a converted penalty from Éabha Sherry, while Sherry rattled off her second major after the turnaround, giving the home side a 2-11 to 1-13 win.

Emmet Daly’s team will have home advantage in round two however as they invite Wicklow to Kingspan Breffni on Sunday. Cavan, fresh off their recent provincial glory, will have their eyes set on picking up their first two points of the campaign and pushing on for the year ahead.