Christy Ring Cup round one
Tyrone 2-12 London 2-23
JACK Goulding fired London to victory in their Christy Ring Cup opener over Tyrone, hitting 12 points at the Eoghan Ruadh hurling grounds in Dungannon.
Goals from Ronan Crowley and Owen Shiel pushed the Exiles into a commanding 15-point lead, and while the Red Hands pulled back goals through Aidy Kelly and Sean Duffin, they were always chasing the game.
London, with a gusting wind in their backs, raced into a four-point lead through Goulding, Sean Glynn, Sheil and Stephen Whelan, with former Kerry attacker Goulding denied a goal by an excellent Conor McElhatton save.
Tyrone got their challenge going with points from Aidy Kelly and Ben Gormley, but the Exiles struck for a 15th-minute goal, Crowley finishing from close range after a long ball from Sheil was not cleared.
Long-range scores from Goulding and Glynn kept London comfortably in front, but Kelly kept the Red Hands in touch, with Gormley landing his second score.
At the interval, London led by 1-10 to 0-6, and tightened their grip with a second goal from Shiel four minutes after the restart.
Goulding continued to strike accurately from frees and play, and a Sheil point put 15 between the sides with 10 minutes to play.
However, Tyrone battled to the end, and after Duffin smacked home a fine goal, Kelly finished to the net from close range.
They finished with 14 men following Cormac Munroe’s second booking, and London finished with another flourish and scores from Goulding and Glynn.
Tyrone A Kelly 1-7 (0-2f, 1-2 ‘65); S Duffin 1-0; B Gormley 0-2; B McGurk, L Devlin & R Weir 0-1 each
London J Goulding 0-12 (0-8f, 0-1 ‘65); O Sheil 1-2; S Glynn 0-4; R Crowley 1-0; S Whelan, K Reid, E McHugh & R Lodge 0-1 each
Wicklow 0-12 Derry 0-17
DERRY came away from Aughrim with the points, atoning for their slip-up there in the League, when they were held to a draw.
The Oak Leaf side were behind early but hit the front by the midway point of the first half and by half-time had a comfortable six-point cushion (0-10 to 0-4).
That lead had stretched to eight (0-15 to 0-7) by the 55th minute and although Wicklow rallied to post five of the last seven scores, the results was never in doubt and Johnny McGarvey’s side ran out 0-17 to 0-12 winners.
Round one Sligo 2-8 Kildare 2-19; Tyrone 2-12 London 2-23; Wicklow 0-12 Derry 0-17
Round two
Saturday, April 20 (1pm) Derry v Tyrone (Owenbeg); London v Sligo (Ruislip)
Sunday, April 21 Kildare v Wicklow (Manguard Park, 2pm)
