Down trounce Armagh in Ulster Hurling Championship

Down 5-21 Armagh 0-14

Gareth ‘Magic’ Johnston helped himself to a hat-trick as Down blasted their way into the Ulster SHC semi-final at Casement Park.

In the end it was a rout against hapless 14-man Armagh, who were totally outclassed, with Paul Branniff and Owen Clarke also hitting the net to help the Ardsmen set up a clash with Derry.

Johnston drilled home his first goal in the tenth minute, but Down looked shaky at the back, and a succession of converted frees, many from long range by Paul Breen, kept Armagh in touch.

Points from Conor O’Prey, and the accuracy from frees of Simon Wilson, kept Down in front, and when Johnston smashed home his second three-pointer, they began to look comfortable, and went in with a 2-10 to 0-8 interval lead.

Armagh lost defender Barry McCormack to a straight red card in the opening minute of the second half, and it was no contest thereafter.

Wilson continued to hit the target from frees, and there were scores from Branniff, James Coyle and substitutes Martin Coulter, Alan Higgins and Emmet Trainor.

Branniff raced through for a solo goal midway through the half, and Clarke added Down’s fourth 10 minutes from the end to put the game out of sight.

And Johnston completed his treble in the dying moments to compound Orchard misery.

Down scorers: G Johnston 3-4 (0-1f), P Branniff 1-2, O Clarke 1-0, S Wilson 0-7 (5f, 1 ‘65’), J Coyle 0-3, G O’Prey 0-2 (1f), A Higgins, M Coulter, E Trainor 0-1 each

Armagh scorers: P Breen 0-12 (11f), D Coulter 0-2.

Down: G Clarke A Dynes, S Murray, S Ennis, F Conway, R McGrattan, M Ennis, A Savage, C O’Prey, C Woods, P Branniff, S Wilson, J Coyle, G Johnston, O Clarke.

Sub: A Higgins for O’Prey, G Clarke for Wilson, M Coulter for Dynes, E Trainor for O Clarke

Armagh: J Burke, B Mallon, F McMullen, P Gaffney, B McCormack, N Curry, J Corvan, E McDonnell, B McCann, K McKiernan, R Gaffney, D Coulter, P Breen, G Enright, C Carvill.

Subs: R Digby for McDonnell, C Kane for Corvan, T Turley for Carville,

Referee: R Mathews (Antrim).