Down have made it into the final eight of the Tailteann Cup with a surging second half win over Longford at Páirc Esler in Newry.
Wides were an obvious issue last week for the Mourne outfit in their loss to Meath, but with the forward thinking Conor Laverty and Marty Clarke on their sideline the response was always going to come.
The reaction came as the wide count dramatically dropped with Down fighting back a three point half-time deficit to win by eight in the finish.
Danny Magill's 45th minute goal drew the sides level and with a quarter final place in sight the hosts never looked like losing.
All the shooting practice during the week paid off as they rattled over the last six points of the game in the eleven point turnaround.
In this fixture back in March, at the same venue, Down relegated the midlanders and with that in mind, Longford began with a menace they could not sustain.
Darragh Doherty and the pacey Keelin McGann were electric on the counter as Down coughed up numerous possession’s down the centre of Longford’s defence.
Veteran centre back Mickey Quinn intercepted and assisted Longford through that bright period as they led 0-07 to 0-04 with less than a half hour played.
Things only got better for Paddy Christie's side when Joe Hagan’s partially blocked effort spun in off the post to make Niall Kane scoff with disbelief.
Kane atoned with two one on one saves from Hagan and Patrick Fox and his clubmate Eugene Branagan responded with a point along with captain Pat Havern and Andrew Gilmore to trail 1-08 to 0-08 at the turn.
Darren Gallagher walloped over a sideline but Longford were beginning to unravel. Down emptied the bench and Magill shone along with fellow subs Ross Carr and Rory Mason.
Longford finished with 13 men as replacement Daire O’Brien and Aaron Farrell were black carded in their disappointing season ender.
Mason clipped over three points, Havern notched his sixth of the evening as Down’s superior energy levels shone right through for their deserved place in Monday morning’s draw.
Down: Niall Kane; Patrick McCarthy (0-01), Pierce Laverty, Anthony Doherty; Daniel Guinness, Ger Collins, Ryan Magill; Shane Annett, Odhrán Murdock; Liam Kerr (0-01), Ceilum Doherty (0-01), Eugene Branagan (0-02); Andrew Gilmore (0-03, 0-01f), Pat Havern (0-06, 0-02f), Donach McAleenan (0-01).
Subs: Ross Carr (0-2, 0-01m) for G Collins (33), Danny Magill (1-00) for Annett (ht), Rory Mason (0-03, 0-02)for McAleenan (47), Eamon Brown for Gilmore (55), Patrick Branagan for R Magill blood (68).
Longford: Patrick Collum; Patrick Fox (0-01), Andrew Farrell, Bryan Masterson; Peter Lynn, Michael Quinn, Iarla O’Sullivan; Ryan Moffett, Darren Gallagher; Dylan Farrell (0-2, 0-01f, 0-01’45), Dessie Reynolds (0-01), Joe Hagan (1-03); Keelan McGann (0-02), Aaron Farrell, Darragh Doherty (0-02, 0-01m)
Subs: Barry O’Farrell for Lynn blood (21-24), O'Farrell for D Farrell (58), Matt Duffy for Doherty (67), Daire O'Brien for Reynolds (71), Ruairí Harkin for Lynn (71)
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)
