Down 1-19 Carlow 1-13: Paddy O'Rourke's Down footballers recovered from a blistering Carlow start to make their superior football skills and experience tell in this first-class qualifier at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, on Saturday.

This match qualified as unique in that it was the first ever meeting of these counties at senior football championship level.

Carlow led 0-5 to 0-1 after eight minutes. But then Down gained a foothold in the game and dictated matters to draw level seven minutes later.

A superb 18th-minute goal from Down's outstanding right-full forward Benny Coulter gave the northern visitors the cushion of a 1-6 to 0-6 lead.

By the interval, however, Carlow were within a point, trailing by 1-6 to 0-8.

It was in the early part of the second half that Down won the game. They scored from long-range points as the Carlow challenge went flat.

Down showed pinpoint accuracy with their passing and were absolutely lethal in their finishing, with their full-forward line of Coulter, Aidan O'Prey and Daniel Hughes contributing a total of 1-11 to their side's tally.

Down's superiority saw them storm to a 1-16 to 0-12 lead by the hour mark but then Carlow's Mark Carpenter brought fresh hope for the home support with a well-taken goal.

The Down response was to go downfield and pick off their points and go on to win by a convincing six-point margin.

The longer the game went on, the more certain did the Down victory become.

Down were also greatly bolstered by the second-half introduction of the experienced Liam Doyle, who kicked three superb points from play to put the final nail in the Carlow coffin.

DOWN: M McVeigh; B Grant, A Molloy, A Scullion; J Clarke (0-1), M Cole, S Farrell; D Gordon, G McCartan (0-2, frees); E McCartan, S Ward (0-2), R Sexton; B Coulter (1-3, one free), A O'Prey (0-3), D Hughes (0-4). Subs: R Murtagh (0-1) for E McCartan (half-time), L Doyle (0-3) for G McCartan (45 mins), A Brannigan for Farrell (59 mins); C McCrickard for Grant (68 mins), S Kearney for Hughes (70 mins).

CARLOW: J Clarke; P Cashen, B Farrell, C McCarthy; J Kavanagh, J Hayden, J Byrne; D Byrne, W Power (0-1); S Kavanagh, J Nevin (0-1), M Carpenter (1-1); S Rea (0-7, four frees, one 45), B Carbery (0-2), B Kelly (0-1). Subs: M Brennan for D Byrne (half-time), T Walsh for Nevin 45 mins), P Hickey for Kelly (54 mins), K Walker for McCarthy (60 mins).

Referee: John Geaney (Cork).