Down beat Sligo after extra time to reach Tailteann decider

Down hit 14-man Sligo aft extra-time successful Croke Park to scope nan Tailteann Cup last for nan 2nd twelvemonth successful a row.

Odhran Murdock's punishment successful nan 2nd half of other clip was decisive, giving Down a chance to atone for past year's last conclusion by Meath erstwhile they play Laois successful nan decider connected 13 July.

A reddish paper for Sligo's Nathan Mullen aft 60 minutes was a immense infinitesimal successful nan game, pinch his broadside starring 2-11 to 0-14.

Despite having scored goals successful each half from Paddy O'Connor and Canice Mulligan, they ne'er recovered from nan reddish paper arsenic Down took over.

Ryan McEvoy's equaliser for Down successful nan eighth infinitesimal of stoppage clip made it 0-18 to 2-12 and took nan crippled to other time.

Murdock's punishment successful nan 84th infinitesimal sealed triumph for Conor Laverty's Down.

Down desperately wanted a capacity of merit aft disappointing defeats successful their past 2 visits to Croke Park successful nan past 12 months.

They were favourites to hit Meath successful past year's Tailteann Cup final, and lost.

They were besides favourites to hit Westmeath successful this year's Division Three convention final, and lost.

So Conor Laverty had his squad conflict fresh and successful Pat Havern they had nan outstanding subordinate connected show successful nan opening half.

His six first-half points kept Down successful nan crippled erstwhile Sligo were playing much cohesive shot successful nan opening period.

The sides were level 3 times successful nan first 4th until Paddy O'Connor's extremity put Sligo ahead.

A awesome tally by Cian Lally created nan opening and O'Connor someway collected nan shot from down his back, dropped it onto his correct ft and unleashed a fierce changeable to nan acold corner.

Danny Magill dragged a changeable wide for Down astatine nan different end, but they deed 2 precocious scores done Havern and Shealan Johnston to trim nan shortage to 1-6 to 0-8 astatine half time.

Down picked up wherever they near disconnected pinch nan opening 2 points of nan 2nd half earlier Sean Carabine ended a tally of 4 Down points.

The 2nd half had a beautiful travel to it, delicately poised pinch some sides landing outstanding scores.

John McGovern scored a beauty from retired wide for Down while half-time sub Liam Kerr was influential successful nan 2nd half for nan Mournemen pinch 0-3.

Down looked tin of scoring pinch each onslaught but Sligo were gritty pinch Sean Carabine, Darragh Cummins and Lee Deighnan landing booming points.

Down 'keeper John O'Hare tipped Carabine's changeable complete nan barroom while astatine nan different end, Sligo 'keeper Aidan Devanney saved his fullback Eddie McGuinness from scoring a funny ain goal.

Sligo's 2nd extremity from Canice Mulligan looked for illustration a large people erstwhile it happened successful nan 56th minute.

Paul McNamara's inviting walk crossed nan quadrate was met by Mulligan astatine nan backmost station who palmed nan shot into an quiet nett to put Sligo up 2-11 to 0-13.

But it each changed pinch nan reddish card.

Mullen was shown a consecutive reddish for a tackle connected Oisin Savage, who was stretchered disconnected aft a six-minute stoppage delay.

When play resumed, nan momentum was wholly pinch Down and they kept it for nan remainder of nan game.

Sligo struggled pinch 14 players and conscionable could not get up nan section arsenic Down - who looked highly good conditioned and fresh - swamped them and took control.

Caolan Mooney, looking crisp aft excessively galore years plagued by injury, kicked a important constituent wrong seconds of coming connected and made a captious turnover arsenic some teams tried to decorativeness it successful normal time.

Sligo went a agelong 20 minutes without scoring earlier Darragh Cummins popped up pinch an inspirational people six minutes into stoppage clip but Ryan McEvoy had nan past opportunity pinch a cracking constituent to tie Down level, astatine 0-18 to 2-12 astatine nan extremity of an exhausting 78 minutes to return it to other time.

A punishment astatine immoderate shape of a crippled is simply a pivotal people but successful other clip it becomes moreover much important and erstwhile McEvoy was fouled successful beforehand of Hill 16, Odhran Murdock slotted location nan game-winning people aft 84 minutes.