Down manager Conor Laverty heaped praised on influential attacker Pat Havern after his magnificent display helped the Mourne men reach the Tailteann Cup final.
Havern scored 0-07, with 0-03 from play, in an open contest at Croke Park that was anything but defensive.
He utilised space in attack, with the Down boss revealing his intention was to use the player in midfield.
Laverty told RTÉ Sport: "Pat was brilliant.
"The past few times we came to Croke Park...I probably challenged him this week that he needed to perform.
"He's probably dipped below his own standards whenever we've been here, and I thought he showed real leadership whenever we needed him in that first half.
"Pat was meant to be playing midfield the whole game. But he was totally getting ahead of the ball. Whenever we were in possession he was totally getting ahead, but he is playing a lot more of his football in around that middle third at the minute.
"It probably gives him a wee bit more freedom. But he is getting man marked now more and because he is such a scoring threat for us.
"He's a very resilient lad. In my term he's the lad who has been playing the most. He never misses training, he is always on the training pitch, night after night, playing every McKenna Cup game, every league game.
"I don't think he's missed a match [for me]."
'It was a titanic battle there... the red card probably changed the game then' - Down manager Conor Laverty reflects with the RTÉ panel after his side finally saw off Sligo in extra-time to reach another Tailteann Cup final
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The outcome was tough on a Sligo side which were superb going forward with goalkeeper Aidan Devaney also having an outstanding game for the eventual losers in a clash which was a great advert for the competition.
Having an extra man was telling after a red card for Nathan Mullen, while Laverty also felt fitness was crucial as a number of Sligo players struggled when at a disadvantage in extra time.
Laverty explained: "It was a titanic battle there, wasn't it? But I felt our fitness showed through.
"The red card probably changed the game then. Sligo had a good foothold in the game. It probably gave us momentum, getting into the last 10 minutes of the game.
"I think football's very like that at the minute, that whenever the momentum swings, it's very hard to get it back. But credit to the lads now that dug in, and we've done a serious amount of training now.
"We're extremely fit. We've put these boys to the well an awful amount of times, and it says they got there that, you know, it comes through then."
