Wednesday night marked the start of the 2016 Down All County Football League and it was played on a evening that hosted Sunshine, Rain, Sleet and a thundering wind at Warrenpoints, Pairc Liam Ui Ir.
Cumann Pheadair Noafa had a excellent first season back in Down’s top flight as did Division one regulars Clonduff and both teams braved the elements to put on a show for the big crowd who turned up to the season opener.
The first half saw proceedings opened within 5 minutes with Arthur McConville converting a free from 30 yards out. Minutes later Ross McGarry grazed the Upright with a 35 yards shot that landed into the arms of an attacking Ryan Mallon who buried the ball in the back of the Clonduff net.
The point lads pushed forward and added another score from Ross McGarry and another from Jamie Grant who fought hard to convert a what seemed to be dead ball into a score on the board.
The first half was a very tight game where both sides braved the elements, both sides managing to rebel against the weather to put on a great show for any neutral present.
Not long before the half drew to a close Cumann Pheadair Naofa’s number 8 Aaron Magee was stretchered off following a nasty fall resulting in a bad knee injury. The point lads responded well and kicked the final score of the half .
The half time score saw the Point leading by 1-5 to 0-7 a very entertaining first half which saw the sides separated by the narrowest of margins.
The second half was just as entertaining as the first with Aidan Carr leading the Clonduff men back into the game, but the Point men managed to hold on to the lead.
Both sides battled hard to gain the lead with Ross McGarry, Ryan Mallon, Donagh McAleenan all sharing the scores for the point.
Arthur McConville kicked some great score from the tightest of angles and it was the men from hilltown who managed to secure victory by 2 narrow points in the season opener. Final Score Cumann Pheadair Noafa 1-11 vs Clonduff 0 -16
