Dublin - 3-19 Down 1-14 Down imposed a heavy burden on themselves by playing two matches at the weekend. They drew with Wexford on Saturday but could not cope with the fitness levels of Dublin in the Walsh Cup hurling tie in Portmarnock yesterday.
Dublin, with an excellent midfielder in Conal Keaney, crushed Down morale with an unanswered return of 2-1 in the opening six minutes. After that it was a case of Down trying to catch up with a weakened side as a result of injuries sustained by key players such as Barry Milligan and Emmet Dorrian against Wexford.
Dublin manager Marty Morris said it could have been a much closer match but for two brilliant saves by his goalkeeper Brendan McLoughlin just before half-time. Dublin have a challenge arranged with Tipperary but said Morris: "If we progress against Meath next week that will be called off."
John McGuirk, Kevin Flynn and Shane Martin accounted for the decisive early flurry of Dublin scores while Down's Paul Brannif and Martin Coulter got the deficit down to five points by the third quarter. But Dublin finished with a great flow of scores from Liam Ryan, Martin and Kevin Flynn.
DUBLIN: B McLoughlin; A Ryan, C Wilson, P Brennan; C Meehan, C Hiney, K Wilson; C Keaney (0-4 two frees), T Moore; J McGuirk (1-0), L Ryan (0-5), S Martin (0-3); K Horgan, K Ryan (1-3), K Flynn (1-4 three frees). Subs: E Dunne for McGuirk (65 mins), K Elliott for Horgan (67 mins), M Carton for K Ryan (68 mins).
DOWN: Graham Clarke; L Clarke, S Murray, E Dorrian; A Dynes, G Savage (0-1), Gay Clarke; E Clarke, T McMahon; G McGrattan (0-1), P Brannif (0-8 four frees), E Trainer (0-1); M Coulter (1-0), M Brannif, D McCusker (0-1). Subs: G Johnston (0-2) for McMahon (23 mins), J Hughes for Coulter (41 mins), S Clarke for E Clarke (44 mins), G McGrattan for M Brannif (45 mins), G Dynes for A Dynes (61 mins).
Referee: F Smith (Meath).
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