Sport

McCrickard lifts Down but victory never on agenda

This was Down's best performance in the league to date, but it's a measure of their current problems that they never looked remotely…

Mon Apr 05 1999 - 01:00

This was Down's best performance in the league to date, but it's a measure of their current problems that they never looked remotely like troubling Kilkenny at Ballycran.

Riven by internal dissension, Down's meagre resources were stretched to breaking point, but in midfielder Jerome McCrickard they had one of the best hurlers on the park. The fact that McCrickard comes from outside the traditional Ards hurling stronghold is a heartening sign for Down. The fact that there were so few others of a comparable calibre definitely is not.

Kilkenny launched themselves from an eighth-minute goal from Niall Maloney, scored at the second attempt following a save from Graham Clarke. After that the visitors romped away with it. Five points from Henry Shefflin and three from DJ Carey helped them build up an unassailable 1-13 to 0-3 lead by halftime.

It was better for Down after the interval. Indeed, over the second half Down actually out-scored their rivals by 0-11 to 1-7. There was never the suggestion of a meaningful recovery, however. Kilkenny's second goal, angled in by Maloney, arrived in the 33rd minute.

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The score was 2-17 to 0-7 entering the final quarter and Down's last five points didn't materialise until the final six minutes.

Kilkenny, without having to exert themselves, looked a class apart, with Eamon Kennedy, Carey, Shefflin, Charlie Carter and Maloney all outstanding.

McCrickard was one of the very few Down players who looked as if he really belonged, but Gary Savage, Gary Gordon, Emmet Trainor and John Browne all had their moments.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; T Hickey, J Costello, P Larkin; M Kavanagh, E Kennedy, P Barry; A Comerford, D Maher; DJ Carey (0-5), H Shefflin (0-7), B McEvoy (0-2); N Maloney (2-3), D Buggy, C Carter (0-2). Subs: T Murphy for M Kavanagh; S Grehan (0-1) for D Maher; D Byrne for A Comerford.

DOWN: G Clarke; J Brown, S McAree, S Wilson; T Coulter, G Savage, P McCabe; J McCrickard (0- 8), J McCarthy (0-2); E Trainor (0-1), M Branniff (0-1), M Coulter (0-2); G Gordon, A Tinnelly, B McAleenan. Subs: B Savage for P McCabe; D Burns for B McAleenan.

Referee: T McIntyre, Antrim.