ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION I: DOWN 1-7 DUBLIN 1-15

By Orla Bannon at Páirc Esler, Newry

Dublin recovered from a bad start and ran out comfortable winners in Newry on Saturday night to almost certainly clinch a place in the Allianz League semi-finals.

Jim Gavin's All-Ireland champions surprisingly trailed by five points after eight minutes, following a rare goalkeeping mistake by Stephen Cluxton, which gifted Down a 1-2 to 0-1 lead.

However the Dubs rallied with an unanswered 1-7 in a 16-minute spell and led by five points at half time. Down produced a much-improved display but their relegation from Division I is all but guaranteed after a fifth straight league defeat.

Down hit the woodwork twice in the last few minutes, but Dublin were always able to raise their game any time the Mournemen threatened to push them close. They dared to dream early on however following by a fortuitous goal in the fifth minute.

Cluxton rose to collect Donal O'Hare's attempt at a point but somehow allowed the ball to slip through his hands into the back of the net. Down suffered a blow when Kevin McKernan picked up a harsh black card for a pull-down after six minutes, though his replacement Joe Murphy kicked a point with his first touch to stretch Down's lead to five.

Dublin reeled off 1-7 in a row with Cormac Costello's goal coming in the 18th minute from a rebound, after Kevin McManamon's initial shot was blocked. Within four minutes, they turned a five-point deficit into a two-point lead with Paul Flynn and Ciaran Kilkenny points followed by a Costello goal after 18 minutes.

Down failed to score for 27 minutes, before Donal O'Hare's 35th minute free left them trailing by 1-8 to 1-3 at the break.

Dublin hit three of the first four points after the break to stretch their lead out to seven after 43 minutes, McManamon chipping over a point after Down 'keeper Michael Cunningham saved his near-post shot.

But the Dubs took their foot off the gas for a spell, and Down took full advantage with three points in a row with Kilcoo pair Darragh O'Hanlon and Paul Devlin scoring from play.

Dublin didn't score for 13 minutes, and had Paul Flynn black-carded, before Dean Rock nailed a '45'. Jonny Cooper's fisted point and a superb effort from Paddy Andrews near the sideline killed off any hopes of a Down comeback.

But the home side kept going and were unlucky when Paul Devlin's shot thundered off the crossbar after being put clear by Henry Brown.

They hit the woodwork again with two minutes to go when fullback Gerard McGovern's shot across Cluxton smacked off the far post.

---

Scorers for Down: D O'Hare 1-2 (2f), J Murphy 0-2, D O'Hanlon 0-1, P Devlin 0-1, M McKay 0-1

**Scorers for Dublin: **C Costello 1-4 (4f), D Rock 0-3 (1 '45', 1f), C Kilkenny 0-2, K McManamon 0-2, P Flynn 0-2, J Cooper 0-1, P Andrews 0-1

**DOWN: **M Cunningham; G Collins, G McGovern, D O'Hagan; J Flynn, A Carr, D O'Hanlon (0-1); P Turley, M McKay (0-1); C Maginn, R Mallon, K McKernan; C McGovern, D O'Hare (1-2, 2f), B O'Hagan. Subs: J Murphy (0-2) for McKernan (BC, 6), P Devlin (0-1) for Mallon (48), L Howard for Carr (52), C Harrison for O'Hagan (52), H Brown for McKay (57).

**DUBLIN: **S Cluxton; P McMahon, J Cooper (0-1), D Byrne; J McCarthy, M Fitzsimons, J Small; B Fenton, S Carthy; P Flynn (0-2), D Connolly, C Kilkenny (0-2); C Costello (1-4, 4f), K McManamon (0-2), D Rock (0-3, 1 '45', 1f). **Subs: **S B Carthy for Flynn (BC, 44), P Andrews (0-1) for McManamon (46), E Lowndes for S Carthy (46), D Bastick for Fenton (52), T Brady for Costello (57), D Daly for Cooper (64).

Referee: Derek O'Mahony (Tipperary)

---