Down completed the great escape at Páirc
Esler, where they followed up a stunning comeback
with a sensational replay win over Ulster
champions Tyrone.
The Mourne men defied all the odds to belie
their Division Three status and send the provincial
champions crashing out of the title race in
an extra-time epic.
In front of a crowd of 18,272, Ross Carr's
men laid on a heroic performance to claim
their first win over the Red Hands since 1999.
Tyrone got themselves into the driving seat
early on and reeled off points through Colm
Cavanagh, who steered two frees between the
uprights, and older brother Sean.
Down did win frees, however, which defenders
Aidan Carr and Liam Doyle (3) converted.
The younger Cavanagh brought his tally to
four from placed balls before he was forced
to retire injured, and with Dan Gordon struggling
to repeat his midfield heroics of the drawn
game, the home side looked in trouble at 0-7
to 0-3 behind.
But they produced another flourish in the
final 13 minutes of the half, scoring four
on the trot, with Gordon on target, and another
defender Paul Murphy bringing them level before
Sean Cavanagh edged the Red Hands back in
front just before the break on 0-8 to 0-7.
There was little to separate the sides in
the early stages of the second half, with
a Tyrone point from Martin Penrose quickly
cancelled out by John Clarke.
With Ambrose Rodgers rising to the occasion
in midfield, Ross Carr's men continued to
expose weaknesses in the Tyrone defence.
Benny Coulter was at last beginning to show
what a gifted player he is, and his darting
run along the left wing was finished with
a fisted point for a 0-14 to 0-11 advantage
with 10 minutes to play.
Just when the crowd was braced for the Tyrone
backlash, it was Down who stepped up the tempo
still further, and when Carr stroked a 45
between the posts, they led by four.
But super-sub Tommy McGuigan, who only came
into the game in the 56th minute, hit five
remarkable points, including four frees, to
send the game to extra-time.
Down were restored to 15 men for added time,
following the double yellow card dismissal
of Damien Rafferty, but Tyrone raced into
a four-point lead through Cavanagh and McGuigan.
In another twist, Down roared back, and when
Coulter fisted a goal, they led 1-19 to 0-20
midway through the added period.
Tyrone scored the only point of the final
segment, but they could not do enough to overhaul
the dogged Down men.
Down: B McVeigh, L Howard, D McCartan, P Murphy
(0-1), A Carr (0-4, 3f, 1 '45'), L Doyle (0-6,
6 f), D Rafferty, D Gordon (0-1), J Lynch,
A Rodgers (0-1), R Murtagh D Hughes (0-1),
J Clarke (0-1), R Sexton, B Coulter (1-3).
Subs: P McComiskey for Lynch (45 mins), K
McKernan (0-1)for Clarke (51), S Kearney for
Murtagh (68), Kevin McGuigan (71), J Colgan
for McCartan (81), Clarke for Murphy (89)
Tyrone: J Devine, R McMenamin, Justin McMahon,
PJ Quinn, D Harte, C Gourley, P Jordan (0-1),
C Gormley, Joe McMahon, B Dooher, R Mellon
(0-1), C Cavanagh (0-4, 4f), M Penrose (0-1),
S Cavanagh (0-4, 1f), C McCullagh (0-4, 1f).
Subs: K Hughes for C Cavanagh (30 mins),
P Donnelly for Hughes (45), T McGuigan (0-6,
4f) for Mellon (56), M McGee for Quinn (81)
Referee: P McEnaney (Monaghan).
