Down 0-10 Donegal 2-5 Down just about deserved to edge this rather scrappy game in Clones yesterday, a one-point victory sending them through to the Division Two final at the expense of a Donegal side who experienced their first league defeat this season.

The fact that All Star full forward Adrian Sweeney and the talented Christy Toye were called ashore underlined where Donegal's real problems lay.

Donegal led at half-time by 0-4 to 0-1 but within three minutes of the restart Down had taken a one-point lead with a point from Benny Coulter and a goal by Ronan Sexton.

Michael Hegarty equalised for Donegal five minutes later but almost immediately Down struck for a second goal when Daniel Hughes finished well after good work by Coulter and Shane Ward.

Down were now in the ascendancy but Donegal did not allow them to build on their advantage and, in their best spell in the second half, they struck for three points on the trot to draw level on 55 minutes.

An exchange of scores saw the sides level again after 62 minutes with Down then taking a slight advantage with two points, the second from substitute John Clarke, ultimately proving to be decisive as Donegal could manage only a late consolation score and the goal they so desperately needed failed to materialise.

DOWN: M McVeigh; M Higgins, A Molloy, A Scullion; M Cole, Seán Ward, S Farrell; B Coulter (0-1), G McCarten (0-2); L Doyle, Shane Ward (0-1), A O'Prey; R Sexton (1-0), J Lavery, D Hughes (1-0). Subs: E McCarten for L Doyle; J Clarke (0-1) for J Lavery; G McCrickard for A O'Prey.

DONEGAL: P Durcan; E Reddin, R Sweeney, D Diver; E McGee, B Monaghan, K Cassidy; B Boyle (0-1), P McGonigle (0-1); C Toye, M Hegarty (0-1), B Roper; C McFadden (0-2), A Sweeney (0-1), B Devenney (0-4). Subs: N McCready for D Diver; S McDermott for C Toye; S Cassidy for A Sweeney.

Referee: M Hughes (Tyrone).