All-Ireland SFC: Clare 1-16 Down 3-27
Down made the leap from the Tailteann Cup to All-Ireland Senior Championship look seamless after brushing aside the challenge of hosts Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis.
Despite a seven-hour round trip, Conor Laverty’s side were never in any real danger of bringing back their first All-Ireland victory in six years as they fully capitalised on their wind advantage to virtually wrap up the game by half-time at 2-17 to 1-06.
With Clare appearing to be still be suffering a Munster final hangover, Down signalled their clear intent from the throw-in as Odhran Murdock and Daniel and James Guinness combined to tee up Ryan McEvoy for a shot that just inched wide of the left post.
The home side failed to heed that warning shot though as while the Banner opened the scoring through an Emmet McMahon free, they would be rocked back on their heels when outscored by 1-9 to 0-1 over the next 20 minutes.
Pat Havern and Danny Magill’s impressive two-pointers sandwiched a breakthrough goal in the sixth minute as Murdock’s delivery was flicked over the line by John McGeough.
Clare had a goal chance of their own repelled as Brian McNamara’s burst was halted by a superb Ryan Magill block.
A second two-pointer for Magill, this time unchallenged spurned another late rally from the visitors that was accentuated by a brilliant counter-attack goal for Daniel Guinness in the 33rd minute. Intercepting a Clare attack on his own 45, the Carryduff midfielder raced the length of the field before playing a one-two with Murdock and firing to the left corner of the home net to make it 2-13 to 0-05.
Clare admirably grabbed a goal of their own a minute later when a six-man move was finished by Aaron Griffin, but even that reprieve was wiped out by a rampant Down as Havern completed the half with the last three points, including a record 19th two-pointer of 2025, to ease 14 ahead for the break.
Clare welcomed the conditions for the new half and did eat into the deficit when Mark McInerney kicked five points to lower the arrears to just 10 by the turn of the final quarter, 2-20 to 1-13. Emmet McMahon had a goal chance blocked by Pierce Laverty while at the other end Down substitute Caolan Mooney would fire the clinching goal to cap off a 1-4 unanswered rally on their way to an 18-point cushion.
Emmet McMahon would kick an injury-time two-pointer to lessen the final damage, while Aaron Griffin would see a glorious goal chance rebound off the crossbar.
However, it is Down that hold the early whip hand in Group Three as they prepare to host newly-crowned Leinster champions Louth in a juicy Round Two derby in a fortnight’s time.
CLARE: E Tubridy; R Lanigan, C Brennan, M Doherty; C Rouine, I Ugwueru, C Meaney; B McNamara, E McMahon (0-1-3, 1tp, 2f); G Murray, E Cleary (0-0-1), D Coughlan (0-0-2); M McInerney (0-1-4, 1tp, 1f, 1’45), K Sexton, A Griffin (1-0-1).
Subs: A Sweeney for Brennan (15 mins, inj), D Walsh for Murray (37), F Kelleher for Meaney (h-t), S Griffin for (60, inj), J Stack (0-0-1) for Cleary (63).
DOWN: R Burns; P McCarthy, P Laverty, R Magill; M Rooney (0-0-1), P Fegan, C Doherty; D Guinness (1-0-1), D Magill (0-2-3, 2tp); J Guinness (0-0-2), O Murdock (0-0-2, 1f), R McEvoy (0-0-1); J McGeough (1-0-1), P Havern (0-2-5, 1tp, 1tpf, 3f), A Crimmins (0-0-3).
Subs: C Mooney (1-0-0) for Doherty (37 mins, inj), P Brooks for R Magill (45), S Millar for McEvoy (54), F Murdock for J Guinness (60), C McCrickard for McGeough (62), D Scullion for O Murdock (67).
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).
