Superb Seanán Carr nails hattrick to ensure Four Masters victory against Downings

Three green flags raised by Four Masters’ leading forward Seanán Carr was all the Donegal Town men needed as they landed their second championship win on the trot with an 11-point victory away to Downings on Saturday evening. 

All the talk the past number of years in Four Masters has been regarding the club's youth structure and talented young players, and it was those young men from the underage ranks who proved the difference as Masters eased past Downings on a 3-8 to 0-6 scoreline. 

The home side have been known for their hard-working press against opposition defenders throughout their Division 1 season, but Kevin Sinclair’s side held that pressure well throughout to expose Downings on the counterattack, with Carr on hand to nail home a hattrick at corner-forward for an impressive win. 

In a low-scoring first half, Richard O’Rourke got the ball rolling with a superb 50 metre free off the ground to raise his first white flag of the day.  

Johnny McGroddy, who found himself on a lot of ball early doors, was able to level the match after intercepting a Four Masters’ ball to kick over. 

Carr would hit home his first goal on the fifth minute when Jamie Crawford intercepted a Downings pass from a poor kickout to feed the young corner-forward who fired to the top left of the net. 

Joe Leape and Keelan McGroddy would exchange scores within the next 10 minutes before Man of the Match Carr slotted home his second goal of the evening when Callum McCrea won a turnover in his own half.  

The follow-up attack saw McCrea partner with his brother Aaron up the pitch before the younger defender found Carr inside who turned past his opposition number, leaving him to slide the ball home to the bottom corner for his second goal. 

Johnny McGroddy ballooned a shot over the upright for his second after 20 minutes, before O’Rourke would emulate his first score in the opening minute of the match by kicking over his second 50 metre free before half time to leave the game 2-3 to 0-3 at the break. 

Downing came to life with a renewed spirit and burst of energy in the second half, with their pressure to the Masters’ backline causing early problems for the away side with Ronan Gallagher and Johnny McGroddy kicking over a point apiece from a dead ball after forcing Masters down blind alleys and winning possession from it. 

But then Masters found their groove which started with Carr’s hattrick. From a Ryan Haughey kickout, Callum McCrea found himself driving into space while working the ball up the field through handpassing. Splitting the Downings’ defensive line, the corner-back fed the ball to Carr who took his chance first time and blasted home for his third goal.  

Downings only managed one more point through Conor Boyce on the 45th minute before Masters emptied the bench, which worked in their favour, and raised five white flags from five different scorers, with Carr and Alex McCalmont shooting over from distance, while Callum McCrea landed his name on the scoreboard from a fisted effort.  

David Monaghan and Killian Faulkner finished out the match with a point apiece as Masters bagged another two championship points in what was another all-round performance from this up-and-coming Donegal Town side. 

Scorers - Downings: Johnny McGroddy 0-3, 1f; Ronan Gallagher 1f, Keelan McGroddy, and Conor Boyce 0-1 each. Four Masters: Seanán Carr 3-1; Richard O’Rourke 0-2, 2fs; Killian Faulkner 1f, Joe Leape, Alex McCalmont, Callum McCrea, and David Monaghan 0-1 each. 

Downings: Aaron McClafferty; Paul McGroddy, Ben McNutt, Hugo Davis; Paidin Shields, Ronan Gallagher, Keelan McGroddy; Oisin Boyce, Ethan Cullen; Ronan Pasoma, Johnny McGroddy, Conor Boyce; Gary McClafferty, Patrick McElwee, Kyle McFadden. Subs: James Lee McBride for McClafferty (54 mins); Shane Coll for Cullen (58 mins) 

Four Masters: Ryan Haughey; Callum McCrea, Dylan Kennedy, Brian Fegan; David Monaghan, Caolan Loughney, Aaron McCrea; Patrick Reid, Conor Reid; Richard O’Rourke, Senan Quinn, Joe Leape; Alex McCalmont, Jamie Crawford, Seanán Carr. Subs: Killian Faulkner for Quinn (43 mins); Oisin Reid for Patrick Reid (45 mins); Aidan McHugh for Conor Reid (51 mins); Sean McKiernan for Leape (55 mins); Jason Duignan for Crawford (58 mins) 

Referee: Ryan Walsh (Realt na Mara)