Down have moved to the top of the Division Three table after two brilliant second-half goals from substitute Corey Quinn helped them beat Offaly, 2-12 to 0-10.

Having played with the aid of the strong wind at Newry, the Mourne County led a spirited Faithful outfit by just 0-8 to 0-6 at the break, but Quinn’s wonderful 52nd-minute goal made it 1-10 to 0-7 and he repeated the dose in injury time, with Donal O’Hare slotting six points for the winners, who are two points clear at the top, having accumulated eight points from five outings.

Having won three in a row, 13-man Louth fell to an agonising 1-10 to 0-12 defeat to Carlow at Dr Cullen Park, Sean Gannon’s twelfth-minute finish to the roof of the net the decisive score in a contest where the battling Wee County had both Declan Byrne and Ciaran Downey sent off.

And Laois are now level with Louth on six points, John Sugrue’s men recording a brilliant 0-14 to 0-12 victory over Longford – for whom midfielder Darren Gallagher (0-4) excelled - at O’Moore Park. The hosts trailed by the odd point from 15 at the break but were playing into the wind in the second half.

However, Evan Carroll and substitute Eoin Lowry reeled off the last two points of the night, Ross Munnelly marking his 100th league appearance with a vital treble as Laois kept their back-to-back promotion hopes very much alive.

Down - R Burns (0-1'45); G Collins, R Wells, R McAleenan; P Laverty, C Flanagan, D O’Hagan (0-1); C Mooney (0-2), J Flynn; D Guinness, C Poland, R Johnston; J Johnston (0-1), D O’Hare (0-6, 4f), K McKernan (0-1). Subs: C Quinn (2-0) for J Flynn, C Maginn for G Collins, C Doherty for J Johnston, O McCabe for R Johnston, D McKibbin for P Laverty.

Offaly - P Dunican; D Hogan, E Rigney, D Dempsey; C Donohue, J Moloney, P McConway; E Carroll, C Mangan; S Horan (0-2), P Cunningham (0-1f), N Darby; B Allen (0-6f), A Sullivan, R McNamee. Subs: N McNamee (0-1) for S Horan, S Tierney for R McNamee, C Carroll for C Donohue, D Molloy for E Carroll, N Bracken for C Mangan.

Referee - A Nolan.

**

Carlow - R Sansom; B J Molloy, S Redmond, C Lawlor; B Kavanagh, E Ruth, C Moran; B Murphy (0-1), S Murphy; J Morrissey (0-1), S Gannon (1-1), L Walker (0-1); Conor Crowley, D Foley (0-4f), D St Ledger (0-1f).  Subs: C Crowley for B J Molloy, D O’Brien (0-1) for Conor Crowley, D Walshe for L Walker, J Murphy for C Moran.

Louth - F Sheeky; F Donohoe, E Carolan, J Craven (0-1); A Williams, B Duffy, J Clutterbuck; T Durnin, A McDonnell (0-1); C Brannigan, C Downey, E Duffy; J McEneaney (0-1), S Mulroy (0-6f), D Byrne (0-2). Subs: E Callaghan for J Clutterbuck, R Holcroft (0-1f) for J McEneaney, D Corcoran for F Donohoe, C Callan for E Duffy, R Nally for C Brannigan.

Referee - A Kissane.

**

Laois - G Brody; S Attride (0-1), M Timmons, G Dillon; M Scully, R Pigott, C Begley; J O’Loughlin (0-1), K Lillis; S Byrne, B Carroll, C Boyle (0-1m); R Munnelly (0-3), E O’Carroll (0-4, 1f, 1'45), D Kingston (0-3, 1f, 1m). Subs: T Collins for S Byrne, S O’Flynn for R Pigott, C Murphy for D Kingston, E Lowry (0-1) for C Boyle, P Cahillane for M Scully.

Longford - P Collum; P Fox, A Farrell, B O’Farrell; C Smyth, D McElligott, D Quinn; D Gallagher (0-4, 2f), M Quinn (0-1); R McEntire, J McGivney (0-2), D Mimnagh; D Doherty (0-2), C Berry, L Connerton (0-1). Subs: M Hughes (0-2) for C Berry, J Keegan for R McEntire, J Hagan for M Hughes.

Referee - C Lane.

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