CHRISTY RING CUP - Down 3-13 Carlow 0-19:DESPITE HAVING to play with 14 men for 70 minutes - following the sending off of Kieran Courtney - Down overcame Carlow at Páirc Esler on Saturday.

Carlow also finished the game a player short after Shane Kavanagh also received a second yellow card 15 minutes from time.

The sides were level at 0-3 each after 10 minutes before Down struck their first goal from Gareth Johnson. Paul Braniff added a second 10 minutes later. Braniff's second goal eight minutes after the break set them up for victory.

DOWN:Graham Clarke; L Clarke, S Murray, F Conway; P Hughes, K Courtney (0-1), Gabriel Clarke; A Savage, R McGrattan; E Trainor, B McGourty (0-2), K McGarry; C Woods (0-1), G Johnson (1-4), P Braniff (2-5). Subs: C O'Prey for P Hughes, MN Ennis for K McGarry.

CARLOW:M Ryan; A Gaul, D Shaw, J Rodgers; E Coady, S Kavanagh (0-3), R Coady; D Roberts, A Brennan; C Doyle (0-2), D Murphy, C Hughes (0-9), J Coady (0-1), R Foley, M Brennan (0-1). Subs: R Dunbar (0-3) for D Murphy, J Hickey for J Coady, B Lawler for A Brennan, K English for J Hickey.

Referee:R Matthews (Antrim).