To a final berth
Magill slid a shot narrowly wide.
There was a half-chance for Sligo in Down’s goalmouth – after a Cian Lally shot dropped into the mixer – but Niall Murphy was unable to get to the breaking ball.
The second-half (of normal time) became a repeat of what much of the first-half had been – a stern arm wrestle between two well-matched sides.
By the 50th minute it was 1-10 to 0-13 when Sean Carrabine’s exceptional point, following work from Alan McLoughlin and Patrick O’Connor, brought Sligo level. This was the fourth time in 15 minutes that the sides couldn’t be separated.
Driving runs upfield from Eddie McGuinness proved the starting point for a lot of Sligo’s better moves,
Darragh Cummins got on the scoresheet with a good point and Sean Carrabine almost snaffled a goal – from a Paul McNamara pass – but Down goalkeeper John O’Hare tipped the ball over.
A big point from Lee Deignan looked to have swung the game’s pendulum Sligo’s way.
Then Aidan Devaney had to make arguably the save of his career – to prevent an own goal –after a bouncing ball came off Eddie McGuinness and the Sligo custodian had to contort himself in order to claw the ball off the goalline.
Sligo were emboldened and a 56th minute goal put them four points up, 2-11 to 0-13.
It was a superb move – Nathan Mullen was at the heart of it and then Brian Cox transferred the ball to Paul McNamara, who delivered a ball to the back post where Canice Mulligan was waiting to flick home.
Down captain Pierce Laverty’s point slightly diluted Sligo’s euphoria but then Sligo were suddenly in a dark place after Nathan Mullen’s rash challenge was punished to the max by referee Derek O’Mahoney.
Sligo only scored once more in the second-half of normal time – a cool point from Darragh Cummins, with Mark Walsh providing the assist. Cummins’ point actually put Sligo back in front, 2-12 to 0-17, but Down would land an equaliser within 60 seconds.
Pacy Mark Walsh gave Sligo a different dimension and in one instance he won a footrace with Down goalkeeper John O’Hare, who was way out from his goalmouth, but an overycarrying infringement ended this Sligo attack.
Down brought matters into extratime through a Ryan McEvoy point but they could have sorted it all out when Caolan Mooney was through for a goal shot but Eddie McGuinness made a tremendous block.
There was another Hawkeye assessment on a Down point attempt – this time a ‘Níl’ – as both sets of fans braced themselves for a ding-dong extra-time.
Due to a rule change, Sligo were unable to replace Nathan Mullen for the extra-time and so had to soldier on with one player fewer than their opponents.
The first period of extra-time was cagey – a Down point from Daniel Guinness was answered by Mark Walsh’s score for Sligo – and Aidan Devaney once again stepped up, this time he saved a piledriver from Ryan Johnston.
Sligo were beginning to drain but these tired heroes were only finally undone when Ryan McEvoy was adjudged to have been impeded in Sligo’s goalmouth when a combination of Mark Walsh and Canice Mulligan tried to halt McEvoy’s dangerous gallop.
That Odhran Murdock’s penalty goal was followed by a point from substitute Liam Kerry, who proved a tricky customer, contributing 0-3 in all.
Sligo, who began the second period of extra-time with a pointed free from Niall Murphy after a foul on Canice Mulligan, were now three points behind, 1-20 to 2-14.
Their final score was a well-taken point from Pat Spillane and then a good catch from another substitute, Mikey Gordon, led to a ball from Brian Cox to Niall Murphy – but Down cleared their lines.
In the last play Down ought to have added a second goal – which would have been undeserved – but Pierce Laverty’s underhit shot was straight at Aidan Devaney.
Sligo may have lost, but faith in them has been renewed as to what they could achieve next year.
Best for Sligo: Aidan Devaney
Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Evan Lyons, Eddie McGuinness, Paul McNamara, Brian Cox, Darragh Cummins (0-2), Nathan Mullen (0-1), Paul Kilcoyne, Canice Mulligan
(1-0), Cian Lally, Alan McLoughlin, Sean Carrabine (0-4, 2f), Lee Deignan (0-2), Patrick O’Connor (1-1), Niall Murphy (c) (0-3, 2f) Subs used: Mark Walsh (0-1) for Patrick O’Connor (66), Mikey Gordon for McNamara (70), Eoghan Smith for McLoughlin (70), Donal Conlon for Lally (70+6), Luke Casserly for Deignan (e-t), David Quinn for Sean Carrabine (75), Patrick O’Connor for Paul Kilcoyne (80). Pat Spillane (0-1) for Canice Mulligan (86) Subs not used: Daniel Lyons (gk), Jack Lavin, Keelan Cawley, Peter Laffey
Down: John O’Hare, Peter Fegan, Ryan McEvoy (0-2), Pierce Laverty (c) (0-2), Miceal Rooney (0-1), Daniel Guinness (01), Shelan Johnston (0-1), Finn McElroy, Odhran Murdock (1-0, 1-0 pen), Danny Magill (0-1), Paddy McCarthy, Ryan Johnston, Ceilum Doherty, Pat Havern (0-7, 4f), John McGovern (0-1)
Subs used: Liam Kerr (0-3) for
McElroy (h-t), Oisin Savage for Ryan Johnston (54); Conor McCrickard for
John McGovern (58); Ryan Magill for Danny Magill (65), Eamonn Brown for Oisin Savage (67), Caolan Mooney (0-1) for Pat Havern (70+3), Ryan Johnston for Shealan Johnston (75), Danny Magill for Pat Havern (82), Eamonn Brown for Ceilum Doherty (87) Subs not used: Kevin Anderson (gk), Shane Annett, Gareth McKibben, Jonny Flynn, James Guinness Referee: Derek
O’Mahoney