Sands turns tide for Down

DOWN 1-24 WICKLOW 0-16

A second-half goal from Eoghan Sands turned the tide in Down’s favour as the Mourne men made it two league wins from two.

Wicklow dominated possession in the first half but a hard-tackling Down defence helped them reach half-time ahead, 0-11 to 0-10.

Andy O’Brien has been the scourge of Down in recent years and he contributed eight first-half points.

When his threat was nullified in the second half and he was restricted to just two further scores, Wicklow’s fate was sealed.

When Christy Moorehouse Jnr split the posts on 46 minutes he moved Wicklow to within one point, 0-14 to 0-13. But in the following 17 minutes Down shot 1-8 without reply.

Then the goal came from Sands. Declan McManus’ effort for a point struck the upright and Sands reacted quickest to gain possession, and find the net.

Three Wicklow points threatened a revival but Down had the last word via Pearse Óg McCrickard and Mark Fisher.

SCORERS – Down: P Óg McCrickard 0-5 (4f), P Sheehan,DToner,MFisher(3f)0-4each,ESands1-1,R Branagan0-3,MMagee0-2,DSands0-1. Wicklow: A O’Brien0-10(6f),GO’Brien0-2,PDoyle,CMoorehouse Jnr, G Connors, G Byrne 0-1 each.

DOWN – SKeith7;BByers9,CTeggart7,MHughes7; JMcManus8,MFisher8,LSavage7;CBailie7,DToner 8; R Branagan 8, D McManus 7, P Óg McCrickard 8; M Magee 7, P Sheehan7, E Sands 7. Subs: D Sands for Sheehan (45), E Coulter for Savage (70). WICKLOW – R Fitzgerald 7; P Keane 7, B Cuddihy 7, MO’Brien6;GByrne7,JHenderson7,WKavanagh6; S Kelly 6, J Connors 6; E McCormack 6, A Byrne 6, P Doyle6;DStaunton6,AO’Brien7,GO’Brien6. Subs: C MoorehouseJnrforKelly(28),JByrneforMcCormack (44), G Connors for Byrne (45), C Moorehouse Snr for G O’Brien (51), S Germaine for Doyle (64)

REF – J Connors (Donegal)