TWO FIRST HALF goals helped Dublin to victory over a Down side who were over reliant on Mickey Linden at Sean Moore Park yesterday.

The first goal came after six minutes, when Martin Doran finished to the net following a good save by Michael McVeigh from Peter Ward. The second was the product of the best move of the day, when Eamon Heery carried the ball out of defence before feeding Doran, who slipped it to Ward, who made no mistake from six yards.

With the wind at their backs, Dublin scored the first three points of the second half to stretch their lead to five points. The introduction of fresh legs temporarily gave Down new life and, from then to the finish, both sides exchanged points but the goal Down required never looked like coming.

. For the second time in just over a month, Wicklow's National Hurling League game (Division Three) with Armagh was called off. In March the game was postponed because the referee did not turn up at Aughrim, while yesterday's refixture was again called off as Armagh could not field a team because they were involved in an Ulster junior hurling championship match against Down.