DOWN 1-23 ANTRIM 1-7: With two comfortable victories over Down in league and championship fare in recent months, Antrim travelled to Ballycran for Saturday's Christy Ring Cup opener in confident mood.
However, Down - maturing their hurt to a fine vintage - took the favourites apart 1-23 to 1-7 in Ballycran on saturday evening.
With no Karl McKeegan to nullify the threat of Paul Branniff, the Down star had a sparkling 70 minutes, hitting eight points in all, the highlight a tremendous effort from the halfway line midway through the first half.
Down were off to a flier when corner forward Eoin Clarke rose to double on the ball to beat DD Quinn in the fourth minute and, by half-time, they were 1-11 to 0-1 clear - a Brian McFall free the only response from a stunned Antrim.
And, even into the breeze, hungry Down pressed home their edge. Going into the final quarter, the rampant Ardsmen were a staggering 1-18 to 0-5 clear.
DOWN: Graham Clarke; L Clarke, G Savage, S Roddy; Gabriel Clarke, C Courtney, S Wilson; D Flynn (0-1), G Adair (0-2); P Hughes, P Branniff (0-8), B McGourty (0-3); M Coulter (0-3), S Clarke (0-4), E Clarke (1-0). Subs: E Trainor (0-2) for S Wilson; Eoin McGuinness for M Coulter.
ANTRIM: DD Quinn; B McAuley, C Herron, J Campbell; M Molloy, K Kelly, J McKernan; M Scullion (0-1), C Cunning; J Scullion (0-1), C Hamill, M Dallas; J McIntosh (0-2), P Magill, B McFall (0-4). Subs: B Delargy for C Hamill; D McKillop for C Cunning; B McDermott for J McKernan.
KILDARE 3-14 WICKLOW 2-12: A second-half rally by the visitors on Saturday was not enough to prevent Kildare taking all the points in the Christy Ring Cup clash at Newbridge.
CARLOW 3-15 MAYO 0-5: The Carlow hurlers showed a clinical touch as they cruised to a 3-15 to 0-5 win over visitors Mayo in the Christy Ring Cup at Dr Cullen Park.
LONDON 2-10 ROSCOMMON 0-10: London carried their good form from the Nicky Rackard Cup into this season's Christy Ring Cup with a strong performance at Athleague yesterday.
KERRY 0-10 TIPPERARY 0-9: There was a thrilling finish to the Munster Junior Football semi-final in Killarney yesterday when a point, three minutes into injury-time, by substitute Kieran Foley claimed victory for Kerry over Tipperary.
CORK 2-8 CLARE 1-10: Fourteen-man Cork staged a stunning last-quarter rally to turn a 0-6 to 1-9 deficit into a one-point winning margin against demoralised Clare in the Munster Junior Football semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.
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