Down will face Armagh in the semi-finals of the Ulster senior football championship next Sunday after seeing off Donegal by 2-13 to 1-11 in Newry this afternoon.

Liam Kerr and Pat Havern (penalty) supplied the goals that proved decisive for the Mourne men in securing the win in front of the 9,139 crowd at Pairc Esler.

It was Donegal that had made the perfect start in this provincial quarter-final clash via Jason Magee’s goal just two minutes in and it’d be the 22nd minute before Conor Laverty’s men were level through Kerr’s superb strike.

Ryan Johnston (free) and Shaun Patton (45) would trade scores that saw the teams go in level at the break (1-4 to 1-4) and Ciaran Thompson would give the visitors their last lead four minutes into the restart.

Johnston (mark) and Eugene Branagan steered Down in front with points ahead of Johnston being fouled in the square and Havern coolly dispatching the resultant penalty.

Donegal got points back from Thompson (free) and Daire O Baoill, but white flags from substitute Andrew Gilmore (2), Daniel McGuinness and Conor Poland helped ensure Down a semi-final derby date with the Orchard men in seven days’ time.

The @AIB_GAA Man of the Match is @OfficialDownGAA’s Ryan Johnston, presented by Kevin Fitzpatrick from AIB 🏐#Ulster2023 pic.twitter.com/jTNy6q4CkN

— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) April 23, 2023

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