Longford roared to a magnificent 2-24 to 3-17 victory over hapless Down after extra time at Pairc Esler.

The result sees Denis Connerton's men take their place in Monday's Round 2B draw, while Down have gone through the entire year without a competitive win, losing eleven out of eleven. Donal O'Hare was deemed fit to start for the hosts but even his sensational 2-9 haul wasn't enough to get Eamonn Burns' men over the line.

Extra-time goals from substitutes Seamus Hannon and Mark Hughes proved decisive for Longford, who dominated the first half and were full value for their four-point interval lead, 0-11 to 1-4, having also missed a couple of presentable goal-scoring chances before the break.

The visitors started by far the brightest but a goal aginst the run of play from Conor Maginn in the 21^st minute had the Mourne men briefly back within touching distance, 1-3 to 0-7.

The first four points were shared, with Ryan Mallon and O'Hare (free) efforts for the hosts cancelled out by Brian Kavanagh and Barry McKeon. The midlanders then moved ahead with five scores from Kavanagh (2), Robbie Smyth (2) and Michael Quinn to a solitary reply from Barry O'Hagan.

Diarmuid Masterson (free) extended the gap back to three after Maginn had netted and Longford continued to kick on with a further brace from James McGivney before another O'Hare free closed the first-half scoring.

Down were level within three minutes of the restart, O'Hare netting and Maginn sending over the equalising point and there was an exchange of points between McKeon and O'Hare before the border county threatened to pull away with their third three-pointer - O'Hare again the provider, 3-6 to 0-12.

Dessie Reynolds narrowed the gap and Paddy Collum denied the Mourne men a fourth major; Quinn and Kavanagh (free) pointed either side of O'Hare to leave just a point between the teams with a quarter of the match remaining, 3-7 to 0-15.

Down stretched their lead further but five consecutive Longford strikes from Quinn, McGivney, Masterson (2) and Kavanagh (free) left them two ahead again with six minutes left. 0-20 to 3-9. Ryan Mallon and substitute Sean Dornan drew the hosts level again and Longford seemed to have won it when Quinn pointed on the stroke of full time.

But O'Hare found an injury-time point to force extra time, 3-12 to 0-21.

The midlanders - back to 15 men after having had Michael Brady red-carded deep into stoppage time, led by a point at half time in extra time, 1-23 to 3-16, with Hannon netting their first goal.

Hughes delivered the decisive second Longford three-pointer six minutes into the second period of added time to propel them into an unassailable four-point lead, 2-23 to 3-16. A day to remember for Longford; a year to forget for Down.

Longford - P Collum; C Farrelly, B Gilleran, D Brady; D McElligott, M Quinn (0-4), D Masterson (0-3); M Brady, D Gallagher; D Reynolds (0-1), J McGivney (0-3), B McKeon (0-2); R Smyth (0-4, 1f), B Kavanagh (0-6, 5f), B O'Farrell. Subs: P McGee for B Gilleran, L Connerton for D Gallagher, S Hannon (1-1) for B McKeon, B Farrell for D Reynolds, M Hughes (1-0) for J McGivney (BC), R Connor for R Smyth, D McGivney for M Quinn.

Down - M Reid; C McGovern, G McGovern, D O'Hagan; D McKibbin, A Carr, D O'Hanlon; P Turley, K McKernan; R Mallon (0-4), M Poland (0-1), J Murphy; C Maginn (1-1), D O'Hare (2-9, 0-8f), B O'Hagan (0-1). Subs: G Collins for D McKibbin, M McKay for K McKernan, D Turley for J Murphy, S Dornan (0-1) for B O'Hagan, H Brown for M McKay (BC), K McKernan for C Maginn, B McArdle for A Carr.

Referee - B Cassidy.

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