Down run out comfortable winners in Ennis

Down couldn't have gotten off to a better start to their All-Ireland Senior Football Championship campaign with a blistering performance on a blistering day in Ennis with a 17-point victory over Clare.

The Mourne County were well on their way at half-time leading 1-6 to 2-17 after a first half that included four two-point scores, provided by Pat Havern and Danny Magill and goals from John McGeough and Daniel Guinness, the latter an absolute cracker.

Down raced out of the blocks leading 1-3 to 0-1 after just six minutes and while the second goal just after the half-hour mark didn't quite kill the game off, as Clare pulled one back two minutes later, it was certainly a healthy half-time advantage.

Down continued to dominate and control the game in the second period. Clare kept the scoreboard ticking over but the visitors more than matched them and when Caolan Mooney landed a maximum on 56 minutes to put his side 1-13 to 3-22 in front the result was in the bag.

For full match report and reaction see this week’s Newry Reporter, in shops Wednesday May 21

MATCH STATS

Clare: E Tubridy; M Doherty, C Brennan, G Murray; I Ugweru, C Rouine, A Sweeney; B McNamara, C Meaney; K Sexton (0-1,1f), E McMahon (0-4.1f, 1tp), A Griffin (1-1); M McInerney (0-6,1'45, 1f, 1tp), E Cleary (0-1), D Coughlan (0-2)

Subs: A Sweeney for Brennan (15mins), D Walsh for Murray (35+2mins), F Kelleher for Meaney (H-T), S Griffin for McNamara (60mins), J Stack (0-1) for Cleary (63mins)

Down: R Burns; P McCarthy, P Fegan, C Doherty; R Magill, P Laverty, M Rooney (0-1); D Guinness (1-1), R McEvoy; D Magill (0-7, 2tp), O Murdock (0-2, 1f), A Crimmins (0-3); J Guinness (0-3), P Havern (0-9,1tp, 1tpf, 3f), J McKeough (1-1)

Subs: C Mooney (1-0) for Doherty (35+2mins), P Brooks for R Magill (45mins), S Millar for McEvoy (54mins), F Murdock J Guinness (60mins), C McCrickard for McGeough (63mins), D Scullion for O Murdock (66mins)

Referee: Paddy Nealan (Roscommon)