Superior tactics provided the winning base for Down in the minor final at Croke Park yesterday. Leaving only two players in the full-forward line was their most successful ploy, as Mayo struggled to get to grips with the formation.
Yet the Connacht champions, favourites going into the match, almost forced a draw in an intense closing few minutes which saw the Mayo half of the pitch almost deserted.
Down players repeatedly pulled their Mayo opponents out of their positions: the vaunted Mayo midfield seemed to be particularly inconvenienced as Down introduced super-fit right corner forward Ronan Sexton into this sector.
Mayo's James Gill and Gavin Duffy were too often forced to focus on a damage limitation mission rather that feeling at ease to impose their own talents on the sector.
Sexton repeatedly fed centre forward Michael Walsh, and the beleaguered Mayo defence did not seem to be able to counter the move.
The Down forwards found the going easier than expected against particularly sluggish defending. When Mayo carved out an opening their forwards squandered with monotonous regularity.
Nine first-half wides against one for Down tells its own story and Mayo did not score at all between the 10th and 22nd minutes. Thanks to two 50-yard frees by sharpshooter Robert Moran the Connacht team held the initiative at five points to four at the end of the first quarter. But then the benefits of Down's superior strategy began to pay off.
Midfield general Brendan Coulter sent Walsh away to narrow the gap to a point. Within three minutes PJ McAlinden and Ronan Murtagh had put Down ahead for the first time, 06 to 0-5, although Billy Joe Padden then managed an equaliser.
That Mayo were still in touch by the end owed much to Moran's accuracy with the placed ball - he finished up with a personal tally of six points, all from frees. By contrast, Down had all their scores from play, with the exception of a free by team captain Liam Doyle and a 45 kicked by Coulter.
Coulter also scored the vital goal, 24 minutes into the first half. The long ball was supplied by Ronan Murtagh and Coulter made no mistake from close range. The score put Down 1-7 to 0-6 ahead.
Down's two front runners, McAlinden and John Fegan, won good ball and scored four of the points against the bemused Mayo cover.
Mayo, in arrears 1-9 to 0-7 at the break, found themselves adrift by seven points, 1-13 to 0-9, with 10 minutes remaining. But they fought back and Moran, with some impeccable free-taking, and industrious wing back Conor Moran with a point from play, reduced Down's lead to three points with three minutes remaining.
Down then had their most anxious moments: Mayo substitute Dermot Costelloe had the ball knocked from his hands close in with a goal seemingly imminent. Later still Alan Dillon had his goalbound shot blocked by Sexton.
Moran reduced the deficit to two points, but any hopes of a full Mayo recovery was stampted out when Coulter, at the death, restored Down's three-point advantage with a 45.
"Coulter was my man of the match," said Down manager Gerry Dougherty. "When the chips are down he never fails us." Mayo manager John P Keane felt that his team had been at a disadvantage because they had failed to acquire challenge matches since beating Cork in the semi-final.
Down's extra matches en route to the final - they had two replays - may also have helped them.
DOWN: J Sloan; J Clarke, B Grant, M Doran; B Kearney, L Doyle (0-1 free), C Murtagh; L Sloan, B Coulter (1-2, one 45); D McGrady (0-1), M Walsh (0-4), R Murtagh (0-2); PJ McAlinden (0- 1), J Fegan (0-3), A Sexton.
MAYO: J O'Hara; MJ Meeneghan, P Kelly, J Brogan; R Keane, P Coady (0-1), C Moran (0-1); J Gill (0-1), G Duffy; R Moran (0-6, frees), BJ Padden (0-2), B Loftus; G Dillon (0-1), A Dillon (0-2), E Gallagher. Subs: D Costelloe for G Dillon (42 mins); J Moran for Loftus (53 mins).
Referee: S McCormack (Meath).
