DOWN’S worst fears have been realised after Barry O’Hagan suffered another major cruciate ligament injury in Saturday’s Ulster semi-final defeat to Armagh.

The 30-year-old was one of a number of key players sprung from the bench in Clones but, just 14 minutes after replacing Miceal Rooney, O’Hagan had to be helped from the pitch after going down unchallenged.

It has since been confirmed that the Clonduff forward had injured his ACL.

This is a devastating blow for O’Hagan, who had only recently returned to the field following a triple reconstruction of knee ligaments last year.

He ruptured his ACL, MCL and meniscus in a National League game against Antrim in February 2023, an injury that left him sidelined for 13 months before being brought off the bench late in Down’s Division Three final against Westmeath last month.

He then started the Ulster Championship victory over Antrim but Mourne County boss Conor Laverty shuffled his pack for the clash with Armagh, keeping the pace of O’Hagan, Liam Kerr and Danny Magill in reserve as they chased an Ulster final spot.

It was a plan that so nearly paid off as Down led by two heading into the final quarter, only for substitutes Oisin O’Neill and Aidan Nugent to draw the Orchard level before Jason Duffy’s superb winner deep into added time.

O’Hagan’s injury comes on the same weekend it was confirmed that Cavan will be without star forward Paddy Lynch for the rest of the year.

The Crosserlough clubman injured his ACL at club training towards the end of last week, leaving Breffni boss Raymond Galligan with a huge hole to fill as they look ahead to the start of the All-Ireland series.

Lynch has become an attacking focal point for Cavan in recent seasons, with the 24-year-old once again showcasing his class with a 1-9 haul as the Breffnimen beat Monaghan in the preliminary round of the Ulster Championship, before landing another four in quarter-final defeat to Tyrone.

Joe McDonagh Cup round two

Kerry 0-26 Down 2-12

KERRY made it two wins on the trot in this Joe McDonagh cracker at Austin Stack Park on Sunday, but at halftime it looked extremely unlikely as they retired on level terms with the visitors having played against a strong breeze.

The second half was nip and tuck as the sides traded points all the way to the hour mark when the game turned in Kerry’s favour.

Paul Sheehan, who had converted three from three in the second half, had a chance of sending his side in front with a scoreable free but it dropped short and as Daithi Griffin gained possession, Daithi Sands was guilty of a careless  pull that saw him pick up a second yellow.

Kerry took full advantage of the extra man. From there to the finish, the home side outscored Down by nine points to one, with the first seven of that coming without reply as the home side showed incredible fitness and teamwork to emerge eight-point winners.

Kerry had the wind to their backs in the opening half but failed to take full advantage, shooting 12 wides to Down’s four.

Kerry had opening points from Ronan Walsh and Maurice O’Connor but also shot four wides in as many minutes.

Down struck for their first goal in the 10th minute when a long-range free from Caolan Taggart dropped in the Kerry danger zone and Daithi Sands found the net with a deft flick ahead of keeper Louis Dee.

Eoghan Sands added a point for Down but Kerry added five more wides in another seven-minute barren spell before Down struck for a second goal. It came after Eoghan Sands was allowed to race through the Kerry defence to place Caolan Taggart, who blasted the ball past Dee.

It was now 2-2 to 0-4 but three Maurice O’Connor points and one from sub Dan Goggin levelled the game at 0-8 to 2-2, with both sides adding two points each before half-time, as they went in level at 0-10 to 2-4.

But the sending off and Kerry’s more productive finish proved decisive.

Down manager Ronan Sheehan was not making excuses in the aftermath

‘‘I suppose we were disappointed with the first 20 minutes of the second half because we didn’t use the ball and we gave Kerry a lot of frees,’’ said Sheehan.

‘’It was good pressure from Kerry but needless turnovers that put us under pressure. We expected to be a lot more fluid with the ball but we weren’t.

‘’Then, unfortunately, we have a chance to go a point up and Paul ( Sheehan) has a fairly simple free for a man of inter-county level, mishits it, drops low into the square, Daithi goes for it, it was a yellow card, he is off and Kerry used the spare man very well.’'

Scorers

Kerry M O’Connor 0-13 (0-7f); D Goggin 0-4; F Mackessy (1f) & R Walsh 0-2 each; C Walsh, K Hayes, B Barrett, D Woulfe & G Dooley (0-1 each).

Down D Sands 1-1; C Taggart 1-0; P Sheehan 0-3f; T Prenter, E Sands & C Egan 0-2 each; D Hughes & F Turpin 0-1 each

Round two

Offaly 2-23 Westmeath 1-20

Meath 1-16 Laois 7-29

Round three

Saturday, May 4 (3pm)

Down v Westmeath (Ballycran)

Kerry v Laois (Austin Stack Park)

Meath v Offaly (Trim)

Ulster Senior Football Championship: Down 2-6 v 0-13 Armagh, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones

DOWN may feel heartbroken after their last-minute defeat to Armagh in the Ulster semi-final, but they should go into the Tailteann Cup with their head held high, says manager Conor Laverty.

The Mournemen were, at times, the better side on Saturday, with some good scores and patient build-up play that showed a clear gameplan and faith in that plan from the players.

Laverty said that the players left no stone unturned in the build-up to the game, starting their preparation almost immediately after the Antrim game.

“We put a lot of time and effort into that game. Our lives went on hold for the planning since the Antrim game,” said Laverty.

“We saw ourselves and totally believed in the gameplan of what we wanted but probably, coming down the straight, we didn’t tag on another few scores. That’s just what left us coming up short.”

Going into the semi-final, Armagh were the overwhelming favourites to secure a return trip to Clones on May 12, but Laverty felt that his side did themselves proud with the performance they put in to push the Orchardmen so close.

“What a battle from them [the Down team], you couldn’t ask for any more from any player, from one to 20 that was used, from any of the lads that have been involved in training in the past few weeks,” said Laverty, who will now start to prepare his panel for their Tailteann Cup campaign.

“I couldn’t ask any more of those lads, I’m heartbroken for them because I know what they’ve put in but it’s just that knack of the gameplan was there and it was very, very, very, very nearly came through.

“We know the areas we need to improve on and we’re working really hard at that.

“The players have really applied themselves to what we’re asking them but whenever it all boils down to it, if I’m asking my wee boy’s underage teams to go out, you always want them to do the jersey proud and I ask the lads that all week, just to go on and do the jersey proud.

“No-one, critics or not, would be able to argue that point, that those boys didn’t leave everything out on that field today.”

Laverty recognised the gulf in experience between the two sides and backed his side to have plenty more days like this.

“This is a young Down team playing against experienced opposition like Armagh.

“Playing against the better teams, that’s where you learn, it’s no good beating teams by seven, eight or 10 points, you’ll not learn anything from those games.

“Our boys will take a lot from that game, they’re heartbroken in that changing room.”

Although this is not the end of Down’s inter-county campaign, Laverty was adamant throughout this season that his team’s ambition was to be playing Sam Maguire football come the end of the Championship.

They will get another shot at the Tailteann Cup, having lost in the final to Meath last year, but Laverty still feels Down fans have much to be optimistic about.

Laverty said: “We know what we have to do going into the next competition and no disrespect, we put a lot of emphasis on playing Sam Maguire football this year coming into this game.

“We’ll show the next competition the utmost respect, we weren’t good enough to win it last year and we’ll get back now over the next few weeks, look at the game and ratify a few things, keep growing, keep working and learning because this is a Down team and I feel they’re on an upward curve.

“I think the future is very bright for these lads if they can have that application and that desire to show that heart in a Down jersey, I think that they can continue on that upward curve.”