Down hurling is on the up again after a few lean years. However, as manager John Crossey explains, the real test will come next season when the county competes against the leading hurling powers in Division 1 of the National League. In a year when the Down footballers failed to live up to expectations, the county's hurlers enjoyed their best season since 1997 when they last savoured Ulster championship glory. While they were thwarted by old rivals Antrim in their bid to win back the Ulster title, the Mournemen could still take much satisfaction from capturing the National League Division 2 title. Ironically, the Down footballers also reached the Division 2 decider but were forced to give second best to Offaly. "Our main objective at the start of the year was to win Division 2 and thankfully things went according to plan," says manager John Crossey, who can reflect on a successful first year at the helm. "Had we won the Ulster title, it would have been the icing on the cake but Antrim got the better of us after a replay. Overall, though, I was very pleased with the way things went for us this year. We got out of Division 2 and we can look forward to playing the big boys next year - something which hasn't happened in 10 years," he adds. From an early stage in this year's National League, it was apparent that Down would be serious contenders for the Division 2 title. Their only blip in the group stages was a draw with Westmeath, who they renewed their rivalry with in the final at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick on May 9. The signs looked ominous for the Mournemen when they conceded a brace of early goals, but they soon steadied the ship and, in a blistering three-minute spell, Paul and Michael Braniff fired goals to help them to a 2-7 to 2-1 lead at the break. Down were given a further lift when Garret Johnson bagged their third goal within minutes of the restart. However, they were given a reminder that all was not over when Barry Kennedy replied at the opposite end. But Down were not about to lose their grip on the game and when the outstanding Paul Braniff swooped for two further goals in the 57th and 59th minutes, Westmeath were dead and buried. The Mournemen eventually ran out emphatic 5-15 to 3-7 winners with Braniff, who dovetailed between full forward and centre forward, hitting 3-9 in a wonderful individual display. Despite Braniff's heroics, Crossey was fulsome in his praise of veteran centre back Gary Savage. "Paul won't mind me saying it, but Gary was mighty. He came in for a lot of attention and was floored three times. He was still wounded from the first knock which left him on the flat of his back for four minutes and, significantly, Westmeath went two goals up. He emerged a stronger person, knuckled down to it and led our charge from the back." The league success provided a timely boost for Down ahead of their Ulster championship semi-final against New York later in the month. With temperatures in the high eighties at Gaelic Park, New York had two points on the board before Down replied with five on the trot. The home side responded with a goal from Bonny Kennedy, but Down continued to clock up the scores and took a 0-13 to 1-3 lead into the break. The second half followed a similar pattern with a goal from captain Martin Coulter propelling the visitors into a 1-14 to 1-4 lead. Down's eventual winning margin was 10 points, but the victory was soured somewhat by a serious knee injury to Paul Braniff who was forced to sit out the remainder of the campaign. Another power-packed display by Gary Savage almost inspired Down to a famous victory over Antrim in the Ulster final at Casement Park. Savage was immense as the Mournemen battled their way to a 1-15 to 1-15 draw. A Michael Herron goal after 13 minutes handed the early initiative to Antrim, but a 29th minute penalty from Martin Coulter left Down just a point in arrears at the interval. Scores from Andy Savage, Ger Adair, Brendan McGourty and Stephen Clarke saw the visitors open up a two-point lead with 15 minutes remaining, but Antrim fought back to lead before a late Clarke point sent the final to a replay. Incidentally, it was only the second ever draw between these fierce rivals in an Ulster final. The replay proved to be a major disappointment for Down who never recovered after Paddy Richmond shot two first half goals for Antrim. To compound matters, the Mournemen lost key defenders Stephen Murray and Simon Wilson through injury in the opening 20 minutes. Trailing by 0-7 to 2-8 at the break, Down had it all to do, but their hopes of staging a comeback were all but ended when Brian McFall added a third Antrim goal just after the restart. To their credit, Down replied with six unanswered points in a 15-minute spell, but the Glensmen comfortably held on for a 3-14 to 0-18 victory. "I've no doubt in my mind that we would have won the Ulster title if Paul Braniff had been available to us. He damaged his cruciate ligament out in New York and was a huge loss to us," claims Crossey, who hails from the St. Paul's club in Belfast and was a regular for Antrim for 13 years in the 1970s and early 1980s. For the second time in three years, Down were drawn to face Galway in the All-Ireland qualifying series. Without the services of Braniff, Murray and Wilson, the Mournemen produced a commendable performance and the final score of 5-19 to 1-14 did no justice whatsoever to their efforts. Down matched their illustrious opponents stride for stride in the first half and were just two points adrift, 0-9 to 1-8, at half-time. Eugene Cloonan netted for Galway four minutes into the second half, but Down's Martin Coulter did likewise minutes later to leave a goal between the sides. Down remained in contention until the closing five minutes when goals from Cloonan and Alan Kerins handed the Tribesmen a hugely flattering win. Crossey, who is employed as a Games Promotion Officer with the Down county board, admits that it will be a tall order for Down to hold their own in Division 1 next season, but is looking forward to the challenge nonetheless. "We'll need to pull out all the stops to stay up there," says Crossey, who is assisted by selectors Hugh Dorrian and Hugh Pat McCusker. "Such is the gulf between Division 2 and Division 1 hurling that we might as well be going up three divisions. It's going to be tough for us because we have only three senior hurling clubs in Down (Ballycran, Ballygalget and Portaferry) and in reality we're confined to picking from a pool of just 70 players. "But having said that, Division 1 is where we want to be and the only way we can improve is by pitting ourselves against the elite teams. The pace is much quicker in Division 1 and that is something we will have to come to terms with very quickly if we are to survive. "The new second tier hurling championship comes into effect next year as well and obviously we'll hope to give a good account of ourselves in that. I'm all in favour of it and the great thing about it is that it won't detract from the Ulster championship in the slightest," he concludes. Tweet

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