Football League: Down promoted but Cavan miss out

Down's Conor Laverty in action Damian Strong of Laois

Down clinched promotion to Division One by beating Laois in Newry but Cavan will stay in the second tier after a two-point defeat by Meath.

The Mourne side earned a 3-12 to 1-15 win with Conor Laverty, Paul Devlin and Arthur McConville netting for Down.

Down finished top of Division but Cavan missed out on promotion following a 0-14 to 0-12 loss in Navan.

Cavan let slip a three-point lead in the second half as they ended fifth in the standings.

Meath were pipped to the second promotion spot by Roscommon, who will play table-topping Down in the Division Two final on 26 April.

Cavan trailed 0-6 to 0-5 after a close first half with Martin Reilly, Martin Dunne and Tomas Corr on the scoresheet for the Ulster side.

Points from Dara McVeety, Niall Murray and Reilly left Cavan 0-12 to 0-9 in front before the visitors wasted two goal chances.

The missed opportunities were to prove costly as Meath stormed back to score the final five points of the game.

Two goals in the first half put Down on their way to a three-point victory over Laois.

Laverty netted the opener after good work from Kevin McKernan and Caolan Mooney while Mark Poland was the creator for Devlin's goal.

Down held a 2-7 to 0-8 advantage at half-time and they added a third goal when substitute McConville slotted home on the rebound after McKernan's shot was saved.

Ross Munnelly converted a late Laois penalty but Down had already done enough to secure victory.

"It was the goal at the start of the campaign to get up to the top tier," said goalscorer Laverty.

"We used the ball at pace, our workrate was good and we stayed patient."

Football League results for Sunday, 5 April

Division One

Derry 2-15 1-11 Cork

Mayo 0-12 1-9 Donegal

Monaghan 1-11 1-22 Dublin

Tyrone 0-17 1-14 Kerry

Division Two

Down 3-12 1-15 Laois

Galway 3-12 1-12 Kildare

Meath 0-14 0-12 Cavan

Westmeath 0-12 2-13 Roscommon

Division Three

Clare 1-14 2-9 Fermanagh

Louth 2-11 2-13 Limerick

Sligo 1-19 1-8 Armagh

Tipperary 2-12 2-15 Wexford

Division Four

Carlow 1-12 1-18 Longford

Offaly 1-13 1-7 Antrim

Wicklow 0-12 2-8 London