Down prove too strong for hurlers in Kehoe Cup

24.01.10 | Down 3-22 Longford 0-4

Down cruised to a very easy win over Longford in this completely one-sided Kehoe Cup Senior Hurling Tournament game played at Michael Fay Park and particularly prominent for the visitors was accurate corner-forward Paul Braniff who clocked up a total of 1-10 with eight of his points coming from frees.

This was always going to prove an extremely difficult task for Division 4 outfit Longford against Christy Ring Cup opponents Down and the wide gap in class was clearly evident throughout the game with the midlanders trailing by 1-11 to 0-3 at the break.

Conor O'Prey fired home the opening goal for Down in the closing stages of the first half and Longford had to wait until the 17th minute for their first score when Declan Tanner landed a well struck point.

The same player also converted a couple of frees but things went from bad to worse for the home side in the second half as Down continued to assert their superiority in adding another 2-11 to a  most emphatic tally.

The goals were scored by chief marksman Braniff (48 mins) and substitute Stephen Clarke (54 mins) and all Longford could manage on the changeover was a solitary point from Eoin Donnellan's long range free in the 46th minute.

LONGFORD: Paddy Cullen (Wolfe Tones); Mark Cassidy (Wolfe Tones), Sean Browne (Wolfe Tones), Fergal Daly (Clonguish); Conor Egan (Birr), Benny Stakem (Wolfe Tones), Ciaran Finnucane (Clonguish); Eoin Donnellan (Longford Slashers, 0-1, free); John Lynam (Wolfe Tones); Declan Tanner (St. Rynagh's, Offaly, 0-3, two frees), John Newman (Wolfe Tones), Rory Donnellan (Longford Slashers); Gareth Ghee (Longford Slashers), John Minnock (Clonguish), Johnny Casey (Longford Slashers).

SUBS USED:- Keelan Cox (Wolfe Tones)for M Cassidy (44 mins); Enda Corcoran (Clonguish) for J Casey (46 mins); Stephen Lynam (Wolfe Tones) for C Finnucane (injured, 47 mins); Paddy Corcoran (Clonguish) for R Donnellan (57 mins); Stephen Connolly (Clonguish) for S Browne (58 mins).

DOWN: Graham Clarke; Fintan Conway, Simon Wilson, Sean Ennis; Padraig Flynn, Michael Ennis, Paddy Hughes; Kevin McGarry (0-1), Darren Flynn (0-1); Paul Keith, Garth Johnston (0-2), Conor O'Prey (1-2); James Coyle (0-1), Owen Clarke (0-2), Paul Braniff (1-10, eight points from frees).

SUBS USED:- Stephen Clarke (1-2) for C O'Prey (42 mins); Karl Keating for G Clarke (50 mins); Alan Higgins (0-1) for P Keith (55 mins); Matthew Teague for P Hughes (62 mins); Shane Conlon for J Coyle (62 mins).

REFEREE: Paud O'Dwyer (Carlow).