A fiery first half display was enough to see Down through to the third round of the SFC qualifiers as they overcame hosts Laois at O'Moore Park tonight.
John Clarke and Benny Coulter both found the net as Down continued their goal glut - they scored five against Offaly last week - and took a 2-11 to 0-08 lead into the break.
Teenager Donie Kingston's personal haul of 1-05 gave Laois some hope but Down, who had their captain Dan Gordon sent-off, stubbornly held on.
Laois almost sent the game to extra-time in the dying seconds when substitute MJ Tierney was presented with a goal-scoring chance. However, his effort went the wrong side of the crossbar and gave the Midlanders a point which meant very little in the end.
Down's win was all about their blistering start as they gave a repeat performance of their magnificent display against Offaly last weekend, bursting out of the blocks in the opening minutes.
The Mourne men started strongly, and led by 1-04 to 0-01 after just ten minutes, with corner-forward John Clarke engineering a ninth-minute goal, while both Coulter and Aidan Carr also got on the scoresheet.
Coulter, Clarke and Carr continued to torment an out-of-sorts Laois defence, who lapsed for a second time in the 26th minute when Coulter bulged the net to create a nine-point gap.
Brian McCormack was a solid presence in the Laois half-forward line throughout this encounter. The Portlaoise man finished with three points, including Laois' third point in the 13th minute.
The O'Moore men kept in touch in the final seven minutes of the half with scores from Kingston and Colm Parkinson, and they were unlucky not to edge closer after half-back Pauric McMahon popped up for a goal effort.
But he watched his shot blast wide of the target as Down held onto their convincing lead.
McMahon was injured in the process as Down corner-back Colm Murney marshalled him strongly, and although the Ballyroan defender continued until the break he failed to show on the restart. David Murphy was introduced in his place.
Buoyed on by the introduction of Ross Munnelly and Murphy at half-time, Liam Kearns' side were a changed outfit on the restart.
Confirming this, the large home support sprang to their feet as teenager Kingston rocked the Down net, two-and-a-half minutes after the restart, adding to an earlier Munnelly point.
Laois continued to pile on pressure following Gordon's dismissal for a clash with Pauric Clancy.
The hosts held Down to just one point in the third quarter as they cut the gap to four points, following 'Bruno' McCormack's third score of the contest.
Down rallied as centre-back Carr converted his fourth free, but Laois dug deep with Tierney converting back-to-back frees to leave a goal between the sides at 2-13 to 1-13, with seven minutes remaining.
Corner-back Cahir Healy stepped up to the mark with his first Championship point a minute later, and with Down misfiring on three occasions in as many minutes, Laois had a real chance to steal this game.
However, Kevin McKernan put Down three points clear as the game entered injury-time and although the Laois attack created a chance for Tierney to slot to the net, he failed to seize the opportunity as Down booked their place in tomorrow's third round draw.
Laois: M Nolan; J Higgins, T Kelly, C Healy (0-01); P O'Leary, D Rooney, P McMahon; P Clancy, B Quigley; B Brennan (0-01), B McCormack (0-03), B Sheehan; C Parkinson (0-01), C Kelly (St Joseph's), D Kingston (1-05, 4f).
Subs used: M Timmons for Rooney (27 mins), R Munnelly (0-01, 1f) for Kelly, D Murphy for McMahon (both half-time), MJ Tierney (0-03, 2f) for Brennan (53), C Kelly (Stradbally) for McCormack (67).
Down: B McVeigh; M Cole, L Howard, C Murney; P Murphy (0-01), A Carr (0-04, 4f), K McGuigan; D Gordon, A Rodgers (0-01); R Murtagh (0-01), K McKernan (0-03), J Fegan (0-01); D Hughes, B Coulter (1-02), J Clarke (1-01).
Subs used: P Turley for Cole (17 mins), J Lynch for Fegan (46), R Sexton for Clarke (59), S Kearney for Murphy, J McGovern for Hughes (both 66).
Referee: Derek Fahy (Longford).
