Tidy Town overcome dogged Downs

Tyrrellspass booked their quarter final spot in this year's senior championship after a battling win against a fired up and determined The Downs in Cusack Park Mullingar on Saturday evening last. As is the norm in many of their games over the last number of seasons it was the brilliance and foresight of Denis Glennon that proved the major difference between the sides as The Downs really put it up to them in their ultimately valiant effort to stave off a relegation play off berth. In truth the score line does scant justice to black and ambers and they led for a long period of the game but cometh the hour cometh the man and Glennon proved the catalyst for this Tyrrellspass fight back where they turned a 4 point deficit into a three point lead in the third quarter with a display of football that set their opponents back on their heels.The ultimate score of the resurrection was a Brian Slevin goal on 55 minutes that was started and indeed created by a superb Ger Egan run and from that moment The Downs looked spent having given their all up to that. They possibly deserved something better from the game but they gave away ball far too cheaply when in the ascendancy and faded late on after their earlier exertions. It means a relegation playoff for the Downs while Tyrrellspass look forward to a quarter final against Maryland in a fortnight's timeThe game started at a frantic pace with the Downs literally jumping from the blocks and playing with a fervour sadly lacking in their earlier games in the group. A Barry Conroy free after a minute set the tone but Ger Egan levelled matters for Tyrrellspass when he cut through The Downs defence rather easily and fisted over. The Downs then made a breakthrough when Barry Conroy, James Conroy and Noel Molloy combined superbly to set Luke Folan in on goal and the midfielder made no mistake from close range and raised a green flag and moments the same player added another superb point after a great ball in by David Smith.Tommy Newman was replaced by Trevor John Gonoud at that stage through injury and the game went into something of a hiatus with several poor attempts by both sides. It was the Tidy Town that broke the deadlock when Martin Flanagan converted a penalty in superb fashion after Ray Sheeran had been dragged down in the square and it was game on. Tyrrellspass continued the trend with points from Denis and then David Glennon as the Downs defence began to creak. Two Barry Conroy frees put the Downs back in front and the Tyrrellspass defence propensity for fouling was affecting them badly. Points from David Glennon and a great score from Keith Scally swung the game back in Tyrrellspass's direction but just on the stroke of half time Barry Conroy converted another easy free to level the score at 1-5 apiece at the break.The Downs got the perfect start to the second half when a super move involving David Smith and Molloy found its way to Declan Lynam and the corner forward finished superbly to the corner of the net and a shock looked on the cards but a David Glennon free kept Tyrrellspass in touch. Barry Conroy restored the three point advantage with another free and when Mark Dalton ran the length of the field for another Downs score, the black and amber faithful were in dreamland but then they fell asleep somewhat and let Tyrrellspass run on to them which is suicidal. Denis Glennon converted a free and then scored one from play as he began to dig his side out of adversity almost singlehandedly and when David Glennon converted another free the gap was down to just one.The game could have gone either way at this stage with both sides having chances but there was no score for nine minutes until Denis Glennon levelled the game with a marvellous strike from long range. The Tidy Town now upped the ante and when Egan burst out of defence again he found sub Brian Slevin and he made no mistake and sent the ball to the back of the net for a well constructed goal. It seemed to suck the fight out of the Downs and they looked spent but they got one back when Murtagh hit a monster score from long range but that was as good as it got for The Downs and Tyrrellspass substitute John Corcoran made sure of the win when he pointed after Denis Glennon found him with a fabulous pass and the game was up. Three minutes of added time could not add to the scoreline and when referee Mick Gordon blew the final whistle it was to the relief of Tyrrellspass and the dismay of the Downs.Scorers: Tyrrellspass: Denis Glennon 0-4 1 free, David Glennon 0-4 2 free, Martin Flanagan and Brian Slevin 1-0, Ger Egan, Keith Scally and John Corcoran 0-1 each.The Downs: Barry Conroy 0-5 5 frees, Luke Folan 1-1, Declan Lynam 1-0, Mark Dalton and Brendan Murtagh 0-1 eachTyrrellspass: Darren Quinn, Tommy Newman, Barry Murphy, Terence O'Brien, Phillip Sheridan, David Murphy, Ger Egan, Adrian Corcoran, Tim O'Regan, Ronan Dunbar, Keith Scally, Ray Sheeran, David Glennon, Martin Flanagan, Denis Glennon. Subs: Trevor John Gonoud for Newman (inj 15 mins, Brian Slevin for Sheeran 50 mins, John Corcoran for Dunbar 57 mins, Sean Bagnall for Flanagan 63 mins.The Downs: Ciaran McCormack, Niall Nolan, Jack Hogan, Stephen Cleary, Greg Crowley, Mark Dalton, Sean Loughlin, Luke Folan, Brendan Murtagh, David Smith, John Smyth, Barry Conroy, Declan Lynam, Noel Molloy, James Conroy. Subs: Shane Power for James Conroy 53 mins, David McDermott for Smith 56 mins.Referee: Mick Gordon, Shandonagh.