Down came out on top after a tough battle with Wexford at Croke Park tonight to capture the Allianz Football League Division 3 title on a 0-21 to 0-18 scoreline.

It took extra time to separate the sides at headquarters, with the winners outscoring their opponents by 0-6 to 0-1 in the added periods to claim the silverware.

After having had a decent start to this decider wiped out by the scores of Mark Rossiter, Jack Higgins and Paraic Hughes (two-pointer), the Mourne men were awarded a 12th minute penalty which Odhran Murdock saw saved by Darragh Brooks in the Wexford goal.

Murdock and Pat Havern raised white flags afterwards to bring Conor Laverty’s charges level and they’d move towards a 0-13 to 0-10 half-time lead with the help of a Murdock two-pointer and points from Havern (free) and Ceilum Doherty.

Wexford restarted in promising fashion with Rossiter swinging over back-to-back two-pointers to put them back in front and more scores from Rossiter and Hughes had them up by three with 10 minutes remaining as their Ulster counterparts had yet to get motoring for the second-half.

Doherty landed a crucial point in the 65th minute for his side and Liam Kerr backed it up before Ryan McEvoy levelled and Down would hold possession for the last two minutes in search of a winner, but it didn’t materialise and the decider moved into extra time.

Daniel Guinness burst through for the first point of the extra periods and Ruairi McCormack and Adam Crimmins followed up with scores that had it at 0-20 to 0-17 at half-time in extra time.

Murdock moved Down four ahead three minutes into the second period, with Robbie Brooks grabbing a sorely needed score for the Slaneysiders at the other end three minutes after that and, from there, the Mourne men were able to see it out at collect the silverware at headquarters after a huge scare from their Leinster counterparts.  

Allianz FL Division 4 and Sam Maguire Cup Qualification Secure for the Mourne men after Extra Time@officialdowngaa 0-21@OfficialWexGAA 0-18
Watch all the highlights here 👉🎥#AllianzLeagues #DOWvWEX pic.twitter.com/Uez2HfV8pV

— The GAA (@officialgaa) March 28, 2026

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