Down on the up as red-hot Havern helps see off Sligo to seal promotion 

BIG TALLY: Pat Havern of Down scored 1-10 against Sligo. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

NFL Division Three: Sligo 0-21, Down 2-25 

A SENSATIONAL second-half finish from Down means the Ulster county are promoted – with a game remaining – as they eventually dominated their clash with Sligo, winning by 10 points, 2-25 to 0-21, at Markievicz Park.

Pat Havern was again outstanding for Conor Laverty's charges – the full-forward chalked up 1-10 as Down won for the sixth time in Division Three.

Wing-back Daniel Guinness also starred for the visitors, scoring six points in the second-half, as Down overcame a disappointing first-half at the end of which they trailed narrowly, 0-11 to 0-10, to a Sligo side for whom Alan McLoughlin top-scored and David Quinn marked his first start by shooting 0-4.

Down pressed on the throttle during the final 14 minutes when they outscored the hosts, 1-7 to 0-2.

Sligo were a point clear, 0-19 to 0-18, but undermined their hopes of a shock win by kicking a series of wides. Another key moment was attacker Niall Murphy seeing his goal shot blocked by Down goalkeeper Ronan Burn.

Down turned the screw in the closing stages, a phase of dominance sparked by Ceilum Doherty's 57th-minute goal. Odhran Murdock was also making powerful surges from midfield.

Havern rattled Sligo's net – from a Liam Kerr pass – to wrap up this impressive win although they were made to work hard by Sligo, especially in the first-half.

Sligo aren't safe from the drop and if they don't take something from their final game against Clare they will rely on results elsewhere to stay up.

Scorers for Sligo: Alan McLoughlin 0-6 (1tpf, 3f), Lee Deignan 0-4 (1tpf), David Quinn 0-4, Niall Murphy 0-3 (3f), Jack Lavin 0-1, Cian Lally 0-1, Luke Towey 0-1, Daire O'Boyle 0-1 

Scorers for Down: Pat Havern 1-10 (5f, 1tp), Daniel Guinness 0-6 (1tp), Ceilum Doherty 1-3, Odhran Murdock 0-2 (1 '45'), Adam Crimmins 0-2, Ryan McEvoy 0-1, Donal Scullion 0-1 

Sligo: K Harte, E Lyons, N Mullen, L Casserly, C Sheridan, J Lavin, C Mulligan, L Towey, G Gorman, L Deignan, A McLoughlin, D O’Boyle, D Quinn, C Lally, N Murphy 

Subs used: D Cummins for G Gorman, 50; T Ross for N Mullen, 50; P Spillane for C Lally, 58; M McDaniel for D Quinn, 61; P Kilcoyne for C Sheridan, 66 

Down: R Burns, P Fegan, R McEvoy, P Laverty, C Rogers, S Annett, D Guinness, M Rooney, O Murdock, R Magill, C Doherty, A Crimmins, D Scullion, P Havern, J McGeough 

Subs used: P Brooks for R Magill, 20; L Kerr for J McGeough, 42; P McCarthy for M Rooney, 50; B O’Hagan for D Scullion, 50; E Brown for A Crimmins, 67 

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick)