Down ... 2-11 Clare ... 0-9: Down welcomed back midfielder Brian Burns for his first game in two years for yesterday's clash with Clare in Newry.

The All-Ireland veteran teamed up with the reprieved Gregory McCartan to form a powerful centrefield pairing which provided the platform for victory over a poor Clare side.

It wasn't until the last 10 minutes when they game was already won and lost that the Clare forwards found their range, six of their nine points coming in that period.

Down were three points up before Aidan O'Prey scored his first goal in the 17th minute and 25 minutes had elapsed before Paul Hehir scored the visitors' first point, a fine effort from 40 yards. Down hit back with three excellent points from Shane Warde, O'Prey and Shane King to lead 1-7 to 0-2 at half-time.

Down make sure of their win with O'Prey's second goal in the 49th minute. McCartan and Burns exerted telling influence from midfield, and the fact that all six Down forwards scored contrasts starkly with the performance of the visitors.

DOWN: P Travers; K McGrath, K Byrne, S Trainor; F Caulfield, M McGill, J CLarke; G McCartan (0-1), B Burns; C Daly (0-1), A O'Prey (2-1), S Ward (0-4); R Murtagh (0-1), S King (0-1), P Bradley (0-1). Subs: J Lynch (0-1) for Murtagh, S Poland for F Caulfield, A Carville for B Burns, P McKenna for J Clarke.

CLARE: O Slattery; P Gallagher, B Considine, P Smith; M O'Connell, R Gibbons, R Slattery; D O'Sullivan (0-1), G Quinlan; P O'Dwyer, P Hehir (0-4), D Russell; C Mullen, D Russell (0-2), S Hickey. Subs: M O'Shea (0-1) for P O Dwyer, D Ryan (0-1) for C Mullen, M Keane for D Russell. J Mooney for M Keane

Referee: S McCormack (Meath).