On song Sands eases Down past Mayo

DOWN 3-19 MAYO 0-14

HAVING already qualified for the divisional league final, Mayo started just six of the players who started their Round 4 victory against Wicklow yesterday.

Shane Boland opened the scoring, but Mayo played second fiddle to Down throughout the first period. Mayo’s response was restricted to pointed frees from Boland and Corey Scahill. The key score of the half was Eoghan Sands’ blast to the net. If Down had been clinical the score would have been more impressive than 1-11 to 0-5.

As Down stretched to a 14-point win, Liam Savage and Daithí Sands snatched goals in the last 10 minutes, while the in-form Declan McManus finished with four points.

SCORERS – Down: P Sheehan 0-6 (4f), D Sands 1-2, D Mc Manus 0-5, E Sands 1-1, L Savage 1-0, M Fisher 0-2 (1f); C Bailie, C Teggart M Magee 0-1 each Mayo: S Boland 0-7 (7f), C Scahill 0-2, B Douglas, K Feeney (1f), K Higgins D McTigue (0-1), J Cotter 0-1 each

DOWN – S Keith 7; B Byers 7, C Teggart 7, M Hughes 7; P McManus 7, J McManus 8, M Fisher 7, R Branagan 7, M Magee 7; C Bailie 7, D McManus 8; P Og McCrickard 7, P Sheehan 7, E Sands 7, D Sands 8. Subs: L Savage 7 for Sheehan 64 mins, A O’Prey 7 for McCrickard 58 mins, P Branagan 7 for P McManus 66 mins, R McCrickard for R Branagan 66 mins, S Conlan 7 for Magee 68 mins

MAYO – M Parsons 6 ; A Brennan 6, M Morley 6, D Huane 6; C Henry 7, C Daly 7, T Sweeney 7; J Cotter 7, C Murray 6; B Morley 6, P O’Flynn 5, B Douglas 7; S Boland 7, C Scahill 7, J Coyne 6. Subs: Donal O’Brien 6 for Parsons 35 mins, K Feeney 7 for Coyne 35 mins, David Kenny 7 for Huane 35 mins, Keith Higgins 6 for Murray 59 mins, Darren McTigue 7 for Morley 53 mins