A more purposeful Down deservedly booked their place in the quarter final of the Ulster minor football championship when they held out for victory against a late Cavan rally in Kingspan Breffni Park on Sunday 13th May. In a low key and at times scrappy match Down looked to have that little more quality in their side particularly in the finishing stakes with a more wasteful Cavan hitting 15 wides in all, eight in the first half. Down got off to a flying start and had three points on the board in as many minutes thanks to Paul Devlin (2) and Paul McPolin. Cavan drew level in dramatic fashion in the 7th minute when Niall Smith capitalised on a loose ball to fist time to the net and a second gaol just before the break saw them go in a point to the good somewhat against the runoff play when Mark Cunningham slid the ball under Down keeper Kieran Gordon. Half time score Cavan 2-1, Down 0-6. Cavan's lead lasted only a couple of minutes into the seconds half AS Down started with a flourish when midfielder Eamonn Toner palmed to the Cavan net after nice interplay with Christopher Killen. By the end of the third quarter Down still led by two points with Cavan struggling in the finishing stakes and the game now very much a stop start affair. Paul Devlin extended down's lead to three points in the 27th minute but they the had to weather a late Cavan rally that saw keeper Kieran Gordan take off a diving save form Conor Smith as Cavan came in search of a match saving goal. They did pull back an injury time point through substitute Eugene Keating but time ran out and Down now meet Monaghan in the quarter final in Crossmaglen on Sunday next at 7.00pm. DOWN - K Gordon, C Doyle, R Mallen, N Higgins, R Boyle, M Higgins, R McGovern, R Digney 0-2, E Toner 1-1, P Devlin 0-5, C Poland, B O'Reilly 0-1, C Killen 0-1, S Murdoch, P McPolin 0-1. Subs: C Flanagan for P McPolin 42, O Pires for S Murdoch 47, D Turley for E Toner 44. CAVAN - A O'Meara, R Farrelly, R Dunne, O Moinagh, D Graham, T Reilly, J McAvoy, B Waters, J McEnroe, N Smith 1-0, D McKiernan, A Cole, M Cunningham 1-2, C Smith 0-1, M Dunne 0-1. Subs: E Keating 0-1 for D McKiernan 36, J Hayes for R Farrelly 49, D Givney for M Dunne 55, M Reilly for J McEnroe 58, N McDermott for N Smith 62. REF - F Kierey (Fermanagh) Tweet

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