CHRISTY RING CUP ROUND ONE: Carlow 2-24 London 1-9: CARLOW HURLERS scored an emphatic win over London at Dr Cullen Park on Saturday but it took them 50 minutes to shake off the visitors' stubborn resistance.

When Mark Mythen, a Wexford native, rattled the Carlow net on 56 minutes it sparked the home county into top gear. Carlow led 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval and were 0-19 to 0-8 in front when Mythen struck.

Craig Doyle crashed home Carlow's second goal soon afterwards.

CARLOW: M Ryan; A Gaule, D Shaw, J Rodgers; E Coady, S Kavanagh (0-3, three 65s), R Coady; D Roberts (0-1), A Brennan (0-1), J Coady (0-2), C Hughes (0-5, three frees), M Brennan (0-5), R Foley (1-3), D Murphy (0-1), C Doyle (1-2). Subs: K English for Doyle (60); B Lawler for Hughes (60); J Hickey (0-1)for A Brennan (62); M Ryan for Gaule (66); P Kehoe for R Coady (64).

LONDON: JJ Burke; B Mulcahy, S McLouglin, M Heffernan; T Abernethy, N Healy (0-1, free)EPhelan; J McCarthy, C O'Halloran; I Walsh, A Comerford (0-1), M Mythen (1-1); K McMullen, M Finn (0-4, four frees), C McDonnell (0-2). Subs: S Malone for Walsh (43); M Traynor for McCarthy (58); E.Foley for Comerford (61).

Referee: S Whelan(Wexford).