Down 1-23 4-5 Kerry

Jim McKernan's side came good in the second half at Ballycran

Down hit 16 unanswered wind-assisted points in the second half to preserve their Allianz NHL Division Two status after a nervy first half against Kerry.

Goals by John Mike Dooley and James McCarthy helped Kerry lead 2-2 to 0-2 early on and the advantage was extended to 10 points late in the first half.

However, James Coyle's goal before the break cut the lead to 4-4 to 1-7.

Paul Braniff hit eight of Down's 16 second-half points to finish with a tally of 0-10 at Ballycran.

Dooley hit Kerry's opening goal from a free in the fourth minute and McCarthy quickly added the Kingdom's second three-pointer.

McCarthy notched his second goal in the 16th minute and Down looked in serious trouble with John Griffin hammered in Kerry's fourth goal on 31 minutes to extend the advantage to 4-4 to 0-6.

However, crucially Down hit back with 1-1 before the break with Gareth Johnson's run setting up Coyle's goal.

The second half was one-way traffic as Down hit 16 points without reply.

Kerry's only second-half score was a late point from Dooley.

Sunday's Allianz National Hurling League results

Division One
Clare 0-19 4-16 Galway
Cork 3-15 2-22 Waterford
Kilkenny 1-23 3-15 Dublin
Tyrone 1-17 1-11 Limerick

Division Two
Down 1-23 4-5 Kerry
Offaly 1-18 0-13 Antrim
Westmeath 2-17 1-14 Laois
Wexford 6-21 0-14 Carlow

Division 3B
London 1-16 0-10 Donegal
Fingal 4-13 1-17 Roscommon
Louth 0-24 0-9 Tyrone

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version