Down & Monaghan win in Division Two as Cavan lose

Pat Havern's last-gasp two-point free earned Down a dramatic comeback home win over Cork

Down produced a stunning comeback not once but twice to come away with a narrow 1-19 to 2-15 win over Cork in the Allianz Football League Division Two contest at Pairc Esler.

Pat Havern's two-point free in the closing stages snatched victory for the Mournemen who trailed by seven points at half-time.

Also in Division Two, Monaghan maintained their winning start with a 2-29 to 2-21 win over Westmeath at Clones but Cavan suffered a second defeat as they were well beaten 3-21 to 0-20 by Meath at Navan.

At Newry, Cork scored five times from outside the arc in the opening period while Chris Og Jones made the most of another Down error to find the net in the opening quarter of an hour.

But Conor Laverty's side were back on level terms come the 50th minute with James Guinness and Havern raising orange flags before the peerless Havern moved outside the 40-metre arc and converted for another two-pointer.

The Rebels arrested their slump by grabbing the next score and Sean McDonnell struck to the net as the visitors opened up a five-point lead.

But Down dug deep once more not conceding from the 55th minute onwards and landed a major of their own with Danny Magill on target before Havern's late clincher.

At Clones, Ryan O'Toole's goal at the end of the first half meant that Gabriel Bannigan's Monaghan side led by six points at the break but they had to withstand a mini-barrage from their visitors at the start of the second period.

However, nine of the next 11 points went the way of Monaghan with Rory Beggan and Stephen Mooney on target from beyond the arc.

Conor McCarthy was tireless throughout racking up a personal tally of 0-7 while clubmate Jack McCarron came off the bench to hit 1-2.

The Breffnimen managed just two points from play in the first half at Navan and went in at the break 1-12 to 0-8 behind.

Gearoid McKiernan was introduced at the interval and he came on to strike three two-pointers which is a positive going forward.

But Raymond Galligan's men were reliant on Darragh Lovett's free-taking and couldn't live with the Royals' forward line.

Ronan Jones bagged himself a second goal to open up a 12-point lead on 57 minutes.

Jordan Morris was soon on hand to add a third green flag for the Royals to secure their first points of the campaign.