By Shaun Casey

Down 0-25 Louth 0-24

WHEN substitute Caolan Mooney fisted over a 53-minute point it felt like Down were home and hosed, but the game was far from over. Louth outscored their hosts 11-3 in the final quarter to set up a grandstand finish.

A series of two-pointers brought the Wee County right back into contention but Down held on to win by the minimum of margins and edge a nerve-jangling affair.

With one-point the difference late on, Tommy Durnin lined up an equalising point for the visitors but a heroic block from corner forward Adam Crimmins secured a second victory in the All-Ireland series for the Mourne men.

With the benefit of the breeze in the opening 35 minutes, Down made it count on the scoreboard and raced into a four-point lead before Sam Mulroy opened Louth’s account with a free, but it was all about the men in red and black.

Two-pointers from Danny Magill and Odhran Murdock along with points from Ceilum Doherty, Crimmins and Pat Havern had them 11-1 up while he first substitution of the day arrived when referee David Gough picked up a injury and was replaced by Noel Mooney.

Louth got a bounce from the brief break and tagged on four on the trot through Conal McKeever, Mulroy (free), Ryan Burns and Conor Grimes. Down then hit their own purple patch with five in a row, courtesy of Havern (3) and Magill (2).

The Wee County finished the first half with a flurry and two more points from corner forward Burns kept them in contention at half time. Down carried a nine-point lead into the half time break, 0-16 to 0-7.

Murdock restored the home sides ten-point advantage but Mulroy claimed a two-pointer and a single to keep his side in touch. Miceal Rooney and Craig Lennon swapped scores, while two more from Magill were split by a second two-pointer from Mulroy.

Louth continued their accuracy from outside the 40m arc with Mulroy, Lennon and Tommy Durnin all raising orange flags. Shay Millar and Ciaran Downey exchanged efforts while a Havern free settled the home nerves.

A fourth score from outside the arc by Mulroy and a first point for Ciaran Downey made it a one-point game with minutes left. Havern and Downey traded points, but Crimmins stole the show with the final piece of action.

Down: Ronan Burns, Patrick McCarthy, Peter Fegan, Ceilum Doherty 0-1, Ryan Magill 0-1, Pierce Laverty, Miceal Rooney 0-1, Adam Crimmins 0-2, Ryan McEvoy, Danny Magill 0-6, Odhran Murdock 0-5 (2tp, 1f), Finn McElroy, James Guinness, Pat Havern 0-6 (1tp, 1f), John McGeough 0-1. Subs: Caolan Mooney 0-1 for J. Guinness, Shay Millar 0-1 for R. McEvoy, Eugene Branagan for F. McElroy, Finn Murdock for R. Magill, Conor McCrickard for J. McGeough.

Louth: Niall McDonnell, Daire Nally, Dermot Campbell, Donal McKenny, Conal McKeever 0-1, Peter Lynch, Craig Lennon 0-3 (1tp), Tommy Durnin 0-2 (1tp), Ciaran Byrne, Bevan Duffy, Ciaran Downey 0-2, Conor Grimes 0-1, Ciaran Keenan, Sam Mulroy 0-12 (3f, 2tp, 2tpf), Ryan Burns 0-3 Subs: Dara McDonnell for B. Duffy, Anthony Williams for P. Lynch, Kieran McArdle for C. Byrne, Paul Matthews for C. Byrne, Dylan McKeown for C. Keenan.