Flashback: Dublin v Down - 2005 Allianz National Hurling League

Dublin and Down lock horns in league action for the first time in 21 years when Niall Ó Ceallacháin's side welcome their Ulster neighbours to Parnell Park on Saturday (5pm).

Dublin have a real chance of keeping the prospect of a league final and promotion to Division 1A alive with a win, especially as first and second-placed Clare and Wexford meet elsewhere in the league this weekend, so they’d love to avoid being on the wrong side of the scoreboard as they were when they played Down away at  McKenna Park in 2005.

On that day, Down boosted their Allianz National Hurling League Division 1 survival bid as Gareth’ Johnson tore Dublin apart at Ballycran, bagging three first-half goals in a 4-15 to 4-09 triumph over a plucky Dublin side.

Manus Walsh was Dublin’s standout player, finishing with 3-02, including a 61st-minute goal that cut the arrears to just two. But for all his efforts, the Dubs couldn’t close the gap further, as Down pulled clear.

Walsh struck first from a Ronan Fallon clearance, giving Dublin an early lift. But Down hit back quickly. Johnson netted twice, first from a slick Brendan McGourty pass, then another from Martin Coulter, before adding a third on the half-hour mark thanks to neat interplay with returning star Paul Braniff, back from cruciate ligament surgery. The Mourne men led 4-08 to 1-07 at the break.

Dublin showed fight after the restart. A 90-yard Derek O’Reilly free rattled the net to raise their second green flag, while Walsh tapped home O’Reilly’s ‘65, which had cannoned off the upright to set up a nervy finish.

Walsh’s third arrived just fifty seconds later, but Down responded instantly with four late points, shutting the door on any hope of a Dublin comeback.

Dublin would go on to lose their remaining Group 2 games and were relegated to Division 2 for 2006, where they bounced back as Division 2 champions.

When it came to that summer's championship, the Boys in Blue would experience more frustration and were dumped out by Laois in the quarter-finals of Leinster, losing every game of their Group B All-Ireland qualifiers before they got revenge against Laois by winning their relegation play-off that summer.

Scorers

Down: G Johnson 3-01, M Coutler 1-03, P Braniff 0-04, B McGourty 0-03, S Wilson 0-02, J McCusker, S Clarke 0-01 each.

Dublin: M Walsh 3-02, D O'Reilly 1-01, D Curtin, E Carroll 0-02 each, G O'Meara, S Hiney 0-01 each.