Down made a quick return to Division 2 of the Allianz Football League after defeating Fermanagh by 1-18 to 1-15 in Newry this evening.

The result marks a fifth consecutive league win for Conor Laverty’s side as they now look forward to a Division 3 final date with their fellow promotion earners.

The Mourne men had run up a 0-7 to 0-3 lead in this all-Ulster clash before Odhran Murdock hammered in their goal in the 20th minute and they’d move towards a 1-10 to 0-7 half-time advantage.

The visitors trimmed their deficit down three with help of scores from Conor Love, Garvan Jones and a Darragh McGurn two-pointer after the change of ends and, while Down pushed their lead back out to six, a late Ronan McCaffrey would leave a score in it before the hooter eventually sounded at Pairc Esler.

In Rathkeale, Clare gave a major boost to their promotion hopes by seeing off neighbours Limerick on a 1-21 to 1-12 scoreline.

Limerick’s brilliant start, which included a Cillian Fahy goal, saw them 1-3 to 0-1 up after 13 minutes, but a quick 1-2 from Mark McInerney had the sides level with two minutes.

The next five scores, including a second two-pointer from McInerney, went the way of the Banner men as they moved towards a 1-11 to 1-5 lead at the break and the second-half would see the scores of Eoin Cleary and McInerney get them safely over the line towards their third win.

Meanwhile, well-timed goals helped Laois to come out on top in an all-Leinster showdown against Westmeath at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.

Ronan Coffey, Paul Kingston (penalty) and Evan O’Carroll bagged the home side’s goals in a 3-16 to 1-13 victory which marks their second of the league campaign while dealing Westmeath their second defeat in the process.

Coffey’s goal was the difference between the teams at half-time (1-9 to 0-9) and the O’Moore men would be 1-12 to 0-11 up when they won a penalty which Kingston dispatched before O’Carroll saw his 69th minute goal cancelled out by a Luke Loughlin penalty at the death.

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