Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
We wanted to create history
SIX-IN-A-ROW HUGE ‘COO FOR MCIVER
PAUL MCIVER saluted a record-equalling Kilcoo club after a strong second half wrapped up a sixth Down SFC title in a row.
Four points from rising 20-year-old star Dylan Ward helped them twice come from three points down in Pairc Esler and once they hit the front in the second half, there only looked like one winner.
The victory equalled Burren’s six-in-a-row achieved in the 1980s and sets up a repeat of last year’ s Ulster final against Slaughtneil in a tasty preliminary round clash in two weeks time.
“Slaughtneil are a brilliant team and are at a level everyone else is trying to get to but we are not talking about Ulster,” said Mciver. “This was a massive thing for Kilcoo, winning six in a row.
“Today we wanted to create a bit of history in Down and that’s what we’ve managed to do.”
It was a third county final defeat in five years to Kilcoo for Burren, who finished with 14 men after the red card to Conaill Mcgovern for striking Down teammate Paul Devlin off the ball in the 57th minute.
Kilcoo outscored Burren by five points to two in the last 20 minutes, using all their experience to turn the game around.
Burren scored the opening three points, Donal O’hare with all of them including one from play, and led 0-5 to 0-2 after 14 minutes as they lorded midfield.
Despite Darragh O’hanlon blazing a 21st minute penalty over the bar, Kilcoo settled into the game and stamped their authority all over the second half.
Johnston and Ward points put them in front for the first time three minutes after the break.
Twice more Burren replied through Murdock and O’hare, but once Ward levelled it at 0-9 apiece in the 39th minute, Kilcoo took over, with points from Ward, Johnson and Paul Devlin.
The game was free-flowing and fast-paced up until a ragged final 10 minutes when Kilcoo also picked up three black cards.
The champions get the chance to avenge last year’s Ulster final defeat by Slaughtneil when they host the
Derry outfit in the preliminary round in Newry in two weeks.
Burr en manager Paddy O’rourke, the 1991 All-ireland winning Down captain, hopes Kilcoo can end the long search for a provincial title.
“For one thing it might free Down up and maybe they (Kilcoo) wouldn’t keep trying so hard,” smiled O’rourke.
“They’ve been about long enough and are seriously experienced now. I hope they do go