Tyrone survived a second half revival as Down came from ten points behind to narrow the gap to two in a thrilling Ulster Under-20 Football Championship quarter-final at Healy Park.
The Red Hands held on to win by 2-11 to 1-12 and set up a last four clash with Cavan next weekend.
Two first half goals provided the cushion which enabled them to hold out against a Mourne side that threw everything into attack, and almost chiselled out a result.
Tyrone's well organised defence stifled every effort Down could muster to carve scoring chances in the opening quarter, and after surviving an early spell of pressure, the Red Hands struck for an early goal.
Liam Gray provided the assist for Darragh Canavan to use his pace to spring past his marker and pick his spot in the net past Jack Hazard.
Tiarnan Quinn converted a free for the first of his five first half scores, and after Down centre back Conor Clarke had fired over his side’s opening score, the home side went back on the attack, clever movement and impressive support play stretching their opponents.
Quinn added three more to his tally, with Sean Og McAleer also hitting the target from a free as they opened out a comfortable lead.
And in the 28th minute, Tyrone got in for a second goal. Conall Grimes and Quinn combined, moving the ball fast through the hands, and Mark McKaerney provided the finish with a low shot to the net.
Tyrone led by 2-6 to 0-2 at the break, but Down, with the wind in their back in the second half, threw everything into attack and played like men inspired, with Shane Annett and Conor Clarke raiding from deep and Liam Kerr posing serious problems up front.
They reeled off five points in the opening ten minutes of the half, two of them from Kerr, to make a statement that they were in this to get a result.
Tyrone were restricted to sporadic breaks, but made them count with scores from Quinn, Canavan and Michael Conroy.
But Down just kept coming, and further scores from Clarke and Kerr brought them to within striking distance.
It was Kerr who send Clarke in to smash home a terrific goal, leaving just a point between the sides with four minutes of stoppage time still to play, but Tyrone survived to squeeze through to the last four.
Tyrone: Oran Grimes; Aidan Clarke, Conor Quinn, Peadar Mullan; Conall Grimes, Antoin Fox, Conall Devlin; Ruairi Gormley (0-01), Joe Oguz; Peter Og McCartan, Darragh Canavan (1-01), Mark McKearney (1-00); James Garrity, Sean Og McAleer (0-01, f), Tiarnan Quinn (0-06, 4f).
Subs: L Gray for McCartan (6), M Conroy (0-01) for McAleer (h-t), D McGuigan for Devlin (52), O Mallon (0-01) for Gray (55), E Jordan for T Quinn (58), Lorcan McBride for Fox (63)
Down: Jack Hazard; Peter Fegan, Ruauri McCrickard, Ardan McAvoy; John McGeough, Conor Clarke (1-03), Shane Annett; Ross Carr, Liam Middleton; Finn McIlroy, Declan McClements (0-02), Ruairi McCormack; Conor McCrickard, Liam Kerr (0-04, 2f), Seamus Loughran (0-02, 2f).
Subs: C O'Rawe for McCormack (h-t), A Devlin for C McCrickard (h-t), D Rice for Annett (43), R McEvoy (0-01) for Loughran (54), B Gallen for Clarke (62), R Harrison for Middleton (67)
Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan).
