London sent flying as Down have field day

Down - 3-22 London -1-9 ULSTER SH/First round:Down tossed London out of the Ulster senior hurling championship with ease at Casement Park yesterday.London lacked the first touch of their opponents and persisted in running into blind alleys.

Even though the exiles took a brief lead when their best forward, Ian Rocks, netted a 20-metre free in the eighth minute it was Down on top all the way into the semi-finals against holders Derry on Saturday next.

That London goal left the exiles 1-1 to 0-3 ahead, but Down hit back immediately, with Paul Braniff snatching a goal after London goalkeeper John Ryan dropped the sliotar in the goalmouth.

Paddy Coulter netted Down's second goal on 17 minutes after the opening was made by Noel Sands and Gary Savage,and that helped the eventual winners to a 2-11 to 1-5 half-time lead.

Just before the break Down's Johnny McGrattan rifled over three points and Paul Braniff added another from long range.

After the break the game became little more than a procession of Down scores. Substitute Martin Coulter fired home the winners' third goal in the 44th minute to stretch the lead to 3-14 to 1-7 and there was no way back for London.

During the remaining 26 minutes Down added a dozen points with just two in reply by the losers, whose final score was sent over seconds before the final whistle by Mick O'Dwyer.

London's centre half back Michael Gordon and forward Ian Rocks did match some of Down's style but the Down defence, in which Gabriel Clarke shone, held all the answers while up front Johnny McGrattan, Paul Braniff and Noel Sands, before he retired, had a field day.

DOWN: G Clarke; J Brown, J Murray, S Wilson (0-1, 65); T Coulter (0-1, 65), G Clarke (0-1), M Pucci; G Savage, P Monan; G McGrattan (0-1), P Braniff (1-4), E Traenor; N Sands (0-1), J McGrattan (0-8, five frees), P Coulter (1-1). Subs: M Coulter (1-0) for Sands (half-time); G Gordon (0-2) for Savage (half-time); T McMahon (0-1) for Monan (36 mins); L Clarke (0-1) for Coulter (43 mins); M Braniff for T Coulter (46 mins).

LONDON: J Ryan; D Toland, R Devlin, U McGuckian; R Dalton, M Gordon (0-1), S Byrne; J Carmody, C Murphy; E Kinlon, D Howlin, P Lynch (0-1); I Rocks (1-5, goal and three points frees), C Buckley (0-1), K Heaney. Subs: L O'Connell for Murphy (half-time); P Cashman for McGuckian (46 mins); M O'Dwyer (0-1) for Kinlon (46 mins); PJ Horgan for Howlin (57 mins); E Shalloe for Ryan (59 mins).

Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).