Down kept their Division 3 promotion hopes alive in Newry with a pulsating second-half performance at Páirc Esler to come from seven points behind to beat Westmeath by two in an enthralling finish.
Odhran Murdoch's second converted penalty in a week ignited the turnaround.Floundering and stuck for idea's Liam Kerr burst through the centre and provided the perspiration for Murdoch’s inspiration.
Down never looked back and held Westmeath scoreless for the remainder of the tie with five more scores.
Goalkeeper Charlie Smyth made his league debut, Smyth was a part of Conor Laverty’s successful U20 Ulster winning side and at the other end Pat Havern opened the nervy encounter with a free.
With Havern in good early form, the hosts dropped a number of high balls in on top of the full forward. A combination of good Kevin Maguire defending and net minder Jason Daly hoovering up possession behind.
John Heslin, was ever reliable when counted upon and he settled his side with the opening free. With the play ensuing around the middle of the field, David Gough spotted a foul deep in the Down full-back line. Westmeath were encouraged and soon took the lead thanks to Conor McCormack and Senan Baker.
McCormack’s range of passing was notable on the night with probing foot passes. In the low scoring affair Eamon Brown levelled the game for the third time in the contest. As the half progressed, Ronan O’Toole’s influence was beginning to grow.
Dropping deep, the Loman’s man came out of his own half-back line with some decisive turnovers. That allowed Westmeath up the field. With field position intact, John Heslin provided the class to give the visitors a healthy two-point lead with a brace of immaculate free’s.
Regardless of the position, Heslin’s kicking action never changed and put Westmeath 0-05 to 0-03 up. Down’s late first-half surge came in the form of a Andrew Gilmore goal chance that flashed across the Westmeath goalmouth.
The home crowd looked to be waiting for the net to bulge but it zipped past.To compound matters for Conor Laverty, his side went down to 14 men before the interval with Brown picking up a black card. Smelling blood, Sam McCartan, David Lynch and Baker landed two scores in that period to make it 0-08 to 0-03 at half time.
To nudge them further ahead, Heslin opened the second half scoring. In an effort to get his side going, Laverty threw in the two Johnston brothers from Kilcoo into the fray. The duo worked a treat. With tension building, the crowd grew more involved, Murdoch fired home the penalty and Havern followed up with a brace before Ceilum Doherty second in a row landed the lead score for Down for the first time since the 10th minute.
In front of the partisan crowd, Westmeath pushed but Heslin missed a huge free to level and Gilmore picked off the insurance score for the Down men.
Down: Charlie Smyth; Ryan Magill, Ryan McEvoy, Pierce Laverty; Niall McParland, Ceilum Doherty (0-02), Anthony Doherty; Patrick Branagan; Odhran Murdock (1-00, 1-00pen); Shay Millar, Liam Kerr, Gerard Collins; Eamon Brown (0-01); Andrew Gilmore (0-04, 0-01f), Pat Havern (0-03, 0-03f)
Subs: Ryan Johnston for McParland (ht), Jerome Johnston for Brown (40), Rory Masonfor Collins (45), Anthony Morgan 6 for Millar (37), Conor Francis for A Doherty (60).
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Danny Scahill, Kevin Maguire, Nigel Harte; James Dolan, Ronan Wallace, Sam McCartan (0-01); Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan; David Lynch (0-01), Ronan O’Toole, Conor McCormack (0-01); Senan Baker (0-02), John Heslin(0-06, 0-04f), Luke Loughlin.
Subs: Kieran Martin for McCormack (60), David Giles for Harte (62), Stephen Smith for Baker (66), Conor Dillon 6 for Lynch (69), Andrew McCormack 6 for Connellan (73).
Referee: David Gough (Meath)
