NFL DIVISION ONE Down 1-13 Mayo 0-11:DOWN PRISED two precious points from a Mayo team who had to play with 14 men for all but nine minutes of this game after midfielder Aiden O'Shea was given a straight red in a niggly game which was stiffled by persistent fouling and some dreadful refereeing.
Mayo might have coped with being a man short before a good crowd on their home turf at Elvery’s McHale Park but when Down struck for the only goal of the match on 19 minutes it was always going to be a struggle.
The goal was well-worked and superbly taken by Conor Maginn who flicked the ball over the head of the advancing Mayo goalkeeper, Robert Hennelly, after superb work by Ambrose Rogers.
At that stage the sides were level at two points apiece, Andy Moran and Aidan Carr trading scores before Conor Mortimer fired Mayo into the lead with a free before Rogers levelled from play.
But on nine minutes the game took a dramatic twist when Aidan O’Shea was reported by the linesmen for the alleged use of the elbow on Daniel Hughes.
O’Shea left the field protesting his innocence but his departure had a dramatic effect on the game as Down took a four-point interval lead with them to the dressingroom – 0 1-7 to - 0-6.
Mayo responded to the Maginn goal with points from Alan Dillon and Conor Mortimer (free) to draw level but back-to-back points from Maginn and Aidan Carr had Down back in control again a well struck ’45 from Rogers and an excellent point from play from Carr securing that four-point interval lead.
Mayo did close the gap to two points heading into the last quarter and they might well have pulled level but for a few poor misses, two scoreable frees also going abegging.
However, the arrival of Brendan Coulter was to swing this game for the Down men, two points on the bounce from the full forward opening up that four-point lead once more and Mayo’s only score for the last 15 minutes coming from another Freeman free as Down stuck doggedly to their task and deserved the win for their industry alone.
MAYO: R Hennelly; K Keane, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; R Feeney D Vaughan, L Keegan; A O'Shea, B Moran; A Dillon (0-2), A Freeman (0-2, 2f), J Doherty; C Mortimer (0-6, 5f), A Moran (0-1) E Varley. Subs: S O'Shea for Doherty (31m), M Conroy for Varley (50m), P Harte for Freeman (60m), P Gardiner for R Feeney (67m).
DOWN: B McVeigh; D McCartan, C Garvey, D Turley; D Gordon, A Branigan, N McPartland; A Rogers (0-3, 1f, 1'45), K King; D Hughes (0-1), M Poland, A Carr (0-5, 3f); C Laverty, A McConville, C Maginn (1-1). Subs: K McKiernan for C Garvey (22m), B Coulter (0-2) for McConville (41m), K Duffin (0-1) for O Turle (50m), O McCarty for M Poland (60m).
Referee: B Cassidy(Derry).
