Down hold on against Laois to capture Tailteann Cup crown

July 13, 2024

Down's captain Pierce Laverty lifts the Tailteann Cup ©INPHO/James Crombie

Down will be playing their championship football in the top tier next season after edging out Laois by 0-14 to 2-6 in this afternoon’s Tailteann Cup final at Croke Park.

Having lost out to Meath on this very same stage 12 months ago, Conor Laverty’s side ensured to make a sizzling start on this occasion as the points of Liam Kerr, Pat Havern and Shealan Johnston saw them 0-3 to nothing ahead after four minutes.

Mark Barry registered the O’Moore men’s first point three minutes later and they’d hit the front with a 10th minute goal from Seamus Lacey – his first in the championship in the blue and white of Laois.

From there, however, it was the Ulster side that got motoring again as scores from Havern, Ryan Johnston and Odhran Murdock (2) saw them towards a 0-8 to 1-3 half-time lead.

Laois would make the better restart to lead again thanks to points from Conor Heffernan, Barry (free) and Paul Kingston (free), but a brace at the other end from Danny Magill saw Down retake control and more white flags from Murdock and Caolan Mooney had the finish line in sight for them.

Havern (free) pushed the Mourne lead to four with five minutes remaining at headquarters and it’d go out to six before Barry’s brilliantly taken goal (watch it below) on the 70-minute mark put the heat on in injury-time, where Laverty’s men were able to see out the win that ensures their place in the Sam Maguire Cup race for 2025.


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