ARMAGH EDGE OUT DOWN

Down 0.09 Armagh 0.12

A low drive from the boot of Down’s Ryan O’Hare midway through the second half of yesterday’s Ulster U17 football league game at Pairc Esler was the closest the Mourne men came to possibly beating their neighbours, Armagh, in Newry.

Armagh’s Conal Wilson gets away from two Down players at Pairc Esler in yesterday’s Ulster U17 League opener Picture: Brendan Monaghan Sports/DNA

O’Hare’s shot came back of the base of the Armagh post at a crucial stage in a very entertaining game. Armagh probably deserved to win the game with their forwards looking a bit more clinical than the home attackers.

Mourne Manager Brendan Coulter may frown on the stat that his team didn’t score when Armagh goalkeeper Padraig Flynn got a black card after 11 mins of play. This may have been a result of the way the Orchard players reacted when they went down to 14 for 10 minutes.

All in all, there was very little between the two sides, with both teams enjoying the midfield battle and the physicality of the game for the full 60 minutes.