Roscommon opened their Allianz league division two campaign with a 3-21 to 1-20 victory over Down at Dr. Hyde Park.
A superb second-half display saw Roscommon emerge victorious. Davy Burke’s men recorded a seven-point win having trailed by five at half-time.
Ciaran and Diarmuid Murtagh were the chief protagonists, the pair amassed 1-9 collectively. Meanwhile, Pat Havern chipped in with 11 points for Down.
Odhran Murdock got the visitors off the mark inside the opening minute before the Rossies responded impressively 60 seconds later.
Slick interplay between Daire Cregg and Enda Smith culminated with the latter calmly firing low to the net.
Roscommon subsequently opened up a two-point gap on two occasions, each time Down replied with a two-pointer.
Pat Havern was the scorer on both occasions, landing both a free and one from play. The latter resulted in a level game eight minutes in; 1-5 apiece.
Scores from Daire Cregg and Shane Killoran gave Roscommon a two-point buffer five minutes later before Down registered a goal on 16 minutes.
Full-back Ryan McEvoy latched onto a dropping ball and found the net. Suddenly, the visitors were a point clear.
A brace of two-pointers from Havern and McEvoy made it a four-point game on 23 minutes. Roscommon’s Cian McKeon replied with a goal three minutes later resulting in a one-point game yet again.
Missed penalty
The Rossies were awarded a penalty on 28 minutes; Enda Smith saw his effort saved by Down goalkeeper John O’Hare.
Down replied with points from Danny Magill and Havern (two-pointer). The visitors led 2-6 to 1-14 at half-time.
Gareth McKibben and Havern added a score each as Down opened up a seven-point lead five minutes into the second half.
Their efforts were cancelled out by Shane Cunnane making it a five-point game within 60 seconds.
The sides traded two points each before a positive impact by Roscommon’s substitutes saw the hosts rally impressively.
Eddie Nolan’s point was sandwiched by scores from substitutes Ben O’Carroll and Ciaran Murtagh, the latter a two-pointer. Suddenly, it was a one-point game on 52 minutes.
Enda Smith and Danny Magill traded a score each before Roscommon engineered a late onslaught. The catalyst was Ciaran Murtagh’s goal on 58 minutes.
Down forfeited position when John O’Hare had vacated the goals. Roscommon made a swift transition from defence to attack; the move culminated with Murtagh finishing to an empty net.
The hosts now had momentum. Diarmuid Murtagh added two more scores including a two-pointer making it a five-point game four minutes from time.
Havern replied with a pointed free before three unanswered points from Donie Smith, Daire Cregg and Diarmuid Murtagh saw Roscommon score a convincing victory.
