Tailteann Cup: Down start campaign with Leitrim win
Down opened their Tailteann Cup campaign with a comfortable 1-27 to 0-16 win against Leitrim at Pairc Esler.The 2024 winners bounced back from their thumping Ulster semi-final defeat to Armagh 13 days ago and the agony of missing out on All-Ireland qualification to pick up a morale-boosting victory in Newry.It was an even start to the game with the sides trading early scores before the Mourne men pulled away midway through the first half with four successive scores, including two two-pointers from Pat Havern and Ronan Burns.Leitrim registered a two-pointer of their own from Killian Gaffey to reduce the deficit to four points as Down held a 0-12 to 0-8 half-time advantage.The Division Three champions started the second half strongly and increased their lead courtesy of another two-pointer, this time from Daniel McGuinness and three more points in a row.Conor Laverty's side continued to dominant and had another spell in the second period in which they killed any hopes of a Leitrim fightback as they rattled off four more successive points before Ruairi McCormack added a goal.McCormack palmed home after Ceilum Doherty had teed him up as Down capitalised on a poor Leitrim restart.The two sides then exchanged some late scores as Down recorded a 14-point victory.They will now face Offaly in Tullamore in Round 2A on Saturday, 23 May, while Leitrim will take on Carlow in Round 2B.
