Holders Kildare and Down are still standing in the Christy Ring Cup following today's quarter-finals.

Kildare made the most of numerical advantage to secure a 3-23 to 2-18 quarter-final victory over 14-man Meath in Trim today.

The Lilywhites fell 0-1 to 1-6 behind after just 16 minutes of play but three goals from Gerry Keegan (2) and Bernard Deay brought them back into contention.

Brian Lawlor's charges trailed by 3-6 to 1-13 at the halfway stage and Meath's chances were dealt a blow when Keith Keoghan was shown a second yellow card with 15 minutes left on the clock.

The visitors held a 3-12 to 1-16 at that stage and they made their extra man count in the closing stages to outscore the team in green and gold by 11 points to 1-2.

Jack Regan and Jack Fagan raised green flags for the Royals but it's the holders who join Kerry, Derry and Down in the last four.

Down qualified for the penultimate stage courtesy of a 1-22 to 1-13 win over London in Ballycran.

Playing with the breeze in the first-half, Gareth 'Magic' Johnson's goal sent the Mourne County into an early 1-5 to 0-1 lead.

At half-time, the hosts were 10 points to the good - 1-14 to 1-4 - and the Exiles' challenge fizzled out when they were reduced to 14 men with eight minutes to go.

Meanwhile, earlier today, Wicklow saved their Christy Ring Cup skin with a 1-18 to 1-11 relegation play-off victory over Mayo in Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Enan Glynn's goal parachuted the Garden County into a 1-7 to 0-4 lead at the halfway stage and they finished with seven points to spare despite conceding a 43rd minute goal to David Kenny.

It's not all doom and gloom for Mayo, however, as they will get another chance to preserve their Christy Ring status when they face the Nicky Rackard Cup winners on June 13.

Kildare - P Dermody; N O Muineachain, F O Muineachain (0-1), D Stapleton (0-1); E O'Neill (0-1), M Moloney, J Doran; M Fitzgerald, P Divilly; W Greene (0-1), D Flaherty (0-1), B Deay (1-3); M Delaney (0-9, 5f), E Dempsey, G Keegan (2-5). Subs: D Young (0-1) for W Greene, L Quinn for E Dempsey.

Meath - S McGann; C Reilly, S Brennan, S Whitty; K Keoghan, D Healy, S Heavey; M Burke (0-1), S Morris (0-1); A Douglas, E Marsh (0-2), J Regan (1-8, 0-8f); W McGrath (0-3), J Toher (0-2), J Fagan (1-1). Subs: C Bird for E Marsh, S Quigley for W McGrath, D Reilly for D Healy.

Referee - T Carroll.

**

Down - S Keith; N Conlan, P Flynn, M Hughes; D McManus, C Woods (0-3f), M McCullough (0-1); D Hughes (0-1), F Conway (0-3); M Ennis, D Toner (0-2), S Dineen (0-2); C Egan, G Johnson (1-9, 0-7f, 1'65), J Coyle (0-1). Subs: P Sheehan for C Egan, S Nicholson for J Coyle, E Sands for G Johnson.

London - J Barrett; C Hickey, L Gaule, K Fitzpatrick; T Healy (0-2), M Ryan (0-1), D Morkan (0-1); E Cooney (0-1), N Rogers; P Phelan (0-3, 1f), N Brophy (0-2), S Lambert (0-1); L Hands (0-1), M O'Dwyer (0-1), B Gaffney (1-0pen). Subs: C McAllinden for N Rogers, M Duggan for B Gaffney, E Collins for L Hands, M Fitzpatrick for L Gaule.

Referee - E Hasson.

**

Wicklow - T Kennedy; L Moloney, B Cuddihy, P Keane; E Dunne, S Kelly, J Henderson; E Kearns, C Moorehouse (0-7, 6f); J O'Neill (0-2), L Glynn (0-2, 1'65), R Keddy (0-1); E Glynn (1-2), A O'Brien (0-3), D Staunton (0-1). Subs: J Connors for L Moloney, D Nolan for E Glynn, A Byrne for C Moorehouse.

Mayo - D O'Brien; A Brennan, A Connolly, E Collins (0-1); N Casey, P O'Flynn, S Morley; K McDermott (0-1), D Kenny (1-0); F Boland (0-1), S Hoban, A Lyons; B Hunt (0-1), K Feeney (0-6, 2f), C Finn. Subs: K Kiely for S Morley, S Boland (0-1) for A Lyons, D McTigue for C Finn, D Gallagher for S Hoban.

Referee - D Hughes.

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