Down will play Laois in the Tailteann Cup final on July 13th after coming through an epic battle with Sligo at Croke Park this evening.

It finished 1-20 to 2-15 after extra time at headquarters, where Odhran Murdock’s penalty in the third minute of the second added period sealed the Mourne men’s final berth.

Conor Laverty’s side had looked in a world of trouble when Canice Mulligan palmed in Sligo’s second goal, as it gave the Connacht side a four-point lead with a quarter of an hour remaining in normal time.

Odhran Murdock penalty helps Down return to the Tailteann Cup final beating Sligo 1-21 to 2-16 AET.

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— OurGame.ie (@OurGameHQ) June 23, 2024

However, the Yeats County would be reduced to 14 men some five minutes later after a straight red card was issued to Nathan Mullen and points from Pat Havern, Pierce Laverty and substitute Caolan Mooney would level it in injury-time.

Sligo got their noses back in front through a fine Darragh Cummins point ahead of Ryan McEvoy composing himself to send the game to extra time, as the scoreboard read 0-18 to 2-12 at the end of normal time.

Daniel Guinness and Mark Walsh would trade the only scores of the first period and, despite Niall Murphy steering Tony McEntee’s charges in front early in the second, Murdock’s penalty would prove too much for the 14 men of Sligo to overcome as they bowed out and Down progressed at the end of a thrilling last four clash.

'It was a titanic battle there... the red card probably changed the game then' - Down manager Conor Laverty reflects with the RTÉ panel after his side finally saw off Sligo in extra-time to reach another Tailteann Cup final
📱Updates: https://t.co/Egdx4FnwWx pic.twitter.com/ZbiJnSBSkE

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 23, 2024

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