Down rouse themselves to beat Cork after the break

Down managed to secure their first two Allianz League Division 2 points at Páirc Esler after a brilliant second half performance against Cork that got them over the line by a point.

The Mournemen looked dead and buried in the first half, with the Rebels leading 1-11 to 0-04 after 25 minutes, but they got back to within seven at the break and battled hard for every ball after that.

Cork will rue letting Conor Laverty's men back into a game that they looked certain to win even when Down fought back in the second half.

A second goal and a free to follow put them 2-15 to 0-16 to the good with just minutes remaining but a Danny Magill maximum on 64 minutes and a monster two-point free from

Pat Havern nudged the home side in front again as the four minutes of stoppage time began.

Still Cork had a chance to win the game when Down conceded a free outside the arc with seconds remaining, but Brian O'Driscoll slipped in the run-up and missed his chance.

Rory Maguire opened the scoring for Cork with a two-pointer in the fourth minute and while Odhran Murdock replied with a point, the Rebels hit five wides in the first 10 minutes.

The visitors had big scores in mind however and all but one of their 1-11 first half point tally raised orange flags.

Two of those were gifted by Down within seconds of each other with two 3v3 rule infringements that Mark Cronin converted from beyond the arc.

Cork had a goal before that when Pierce Laverty lost the ball in midfield, Cronin picked it up and passed to Chris Óg Jones who stuck it in the net.

Down did have goal chances in the first half, the best when a shot by James Guinness was blocked and the rebound fell to Oisin Savage whose effort was deflected out for a '45 converted by goalkeeper Ronan Burns.

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