Down win free-scoring clash

Down 4-15 Dublin 4-09

Down boosted their hopes of Allianz NHL Division 1 survival as Gareth 'Magic' Johnson bagged three first half goals in their 4-15 to 4-09 triumph over a plucky Dublin side at Ballycran.

Manus Walsh grabbed 3-02 for the Dubs, including a 61st-minute effort which saw the arrears reduced to two points.

His team now look odds-on for the chop from the top flight however, after their fruitless venture north.

Walsh goaled from a Ronan Fallon clearance in the opening skirmished but Down slipped into gear quickly with Johnson twice netting from set-ups from Brendan McGourty, firstly, and then Martin Coutler.

On the half-hour, the towering Johnson added a third thanks to neat inter-play from returning star Paul Braniff - back in action after cruciate ligament surgery - helping the Mourne men into a 4-08 to 1-07 half-time lead.

A 90-yard Derek O'Reilly free managed to hit the back of the Down net on the resumption to raise the visitors' second green flag.

And although yellow cards for substitute Darragh Spain and Fallon dented Dublin’s challenge, Walsh hacked home O'Reilly's '65 - which had smacked off a Down upright - to set up a nervous ending on the hour-mark.

Walsh's third goal - just fifty seconds late - was swiftly replied to by four late points from Down, as the door was shut on any further comebacks.

Scorers:

Down: G Johnson 3-01, M Coutler 1-03, P Braniff 0-04, B McGourty 0-03, S Wilson 0-02, J McCusker, S Clarke 0-01 each.

Dublin: M Walsh 3-02, D O'Reilly 1-01, D Curtin, E Carroll 0-02 each, G O'Meara, S Hiney 0-01 each.