Sport

Doyle goal drives Down

Down 2-13 Sligo  0-11: Two goals in the opening 20 minutes gave Down a dream start on their return to the first division, at…

Mon Feb 07 2005 - 00:00

Down 2-13 Sligo  0-11: Two goals in the opening 20 minutes gave Down a dream start on their return to the first division, at Newcastle. Down fans will be hoping their side's first goal, scored by Liam Doyle in the fourth minute, will set the tone for the rest of the season.

The Down captain gained possession on the endline to the left of the Sligo goal and somehow twisted inside his markers and lobbed Philip Green.The pass to Doyle came from Dan Gordon, who was a major influence and deservedly found the net 15 minutes later, after Ronan Murtagh's effort rebounded off a defender.

That goal left Down 2-2 to 0-3 in front, and that lead always looked sufficient. Six of Sligo's 11 points came from Dessie Sloyan frees. The Down goal, confidently defended by new goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh, never looked in danger.

Down led by 2-4 to 0-5 at half-time and added three points in as many minutes on the restart from Ronan Sexton, Ronan Murtagh and Liam Doyle. Sligo responded with a period of passionate play inspired by Noel Maguire and Eamonn O'Hara, but they still trailed by five points midway through the half when corner back Brendan Philips received the game's only yellow card.

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Not surprisingly, it was Gordon who had drawn the Sligo man's indiscretion, and Gordon went on to add two more points.

DOWN: B McVeigh; D Rafferty, A Scullion, S Farrell; J Clarke (0-3), B Grant, A Brannigan; A Molloy, A Rogers (0-1); L Doyle (1-3), S Ward, C McCrickard; R Sexton(0-1), D Gordon (1-2), R Murtagh (0-3). Subs: A Rice for Rafferty (17 mins); G Barry for Brannigan (blood sub 30 mins); A Brannigan for G Barry (returned to play 35 mins); C Laverty for L Doyle (60 mins); S Tierney for Sexton (65 mins); F McGreevy for McCrickard (67 mins).

SLIGO: P Greene; C Harrison, P Naughton, B Philips (0-1); D Durkin (0-1), N Maguire, J Davey; S Davey, E O'Hara; B Curran (0-1), B Egan, M Munds; A Marron, D Sloyan (0-6), G McGowan. Subs: D Colleary (0-1) for Harrison (22 mins); T Tayor for Munds (30 mins); S Flannery (0-1) for Marron (41 mins); K O'Neill for McGowan (45 mins); F Roche for Davey (66 mins).

YELLOW CARDS: Down: None. Sligo: B Phillips (50 mins) replaced by C Neary.

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).