Antrim hit Down for six to top Joe McDonagh pile

Antrim made it two wins from two in the Joe McDonagh Cup as they romped to a 15-point win over Ulster rivals Down at a sunny Ballycran.

This high-scoring affair was effectively over as a contest early in the second period as Antrim scotched any notions that this derby could develop into a ding-dong battle.

Conal Cunning top-scored with 10 points for Darren Gleeson's charges, while Seaan Elliott and Ciaran Clarke bagged two goals apiece to put the Saffrons out of sight. A Down rally saw them narrow the gap a little, but Antrim finished well to put them in pole position in the group.

Antrim looked in the mood from the off and wasted no time in putting their stamp on the game with Joe Maskey racing through from the throw-in and popping to Clarke, who drilled to the net.

A Seaan Elliott point from a sideline followed and while Down steadied a little with Marc Fisher getting them off the mark, Antrim looked well in control. Their second goal arrived on 13 minutes as Niall O'Connor send a long ball downfield that was broken down to Cunning and he offloaded to his Dunloy clubmate Elliott, who sidestepped and galloped in to score.

That made it 2-4 to 0-2 and Antrim began to widen the gap with Cunning knocking over the frees, while Conor McCann and Joe Maskey added from play before Gerard Walsh pointed a missile of a free from deep in his own half.

Down were getting into decent positions but their shooting was failing them a little. A trio of points from Down's best on the day, Daithi Sands, kept the scoreboard ticking over but Antrim were 2-13 to 0-8 to the good at the break.

The visitors continued to pile on the misery early in the second period as after a couple of early points, Seaan Elliott was tripped when making a charge at goal