RYAN MAGILL thanked the Newry crowd for inspiring a comeback win over Cork.
Down trailed by seven points at half-time, with Pat Havern hitting four two-pointers.
And attacker Magill said: “It’s great when Newry is behind you. We had to come back twice in the second half but we showed character.”
Cork hit five two-pointers in the first half, with Brian O’Driscoll, Seán McDonnell, Rory Maguire and Mark Cronin (twice) all scoring from long range.
Odhrán Murdock, Havern, Oisín Savage and goalkeeper Ronan Burns — on his county debut — were on target for Down in the first period.
Two-pointers from James Guinness and Havern kick-started the Down comeback.
Cork replied with a McDonnell goal, but Danny Magill’s green flag swung the momentum back Down’s way.
DOWN: R Burns 0-1, 45; P Fegan, R McEvoy, P McCarthy; G McKibben, P Laverty, C Mooney; D Guinness, O Murdock 0-3; C Doherty 0-1, J Guinness 0-3, 1tp, D Magill 1-1; O Savage 0-2, 1f, P Havern 0-8, 1tp, 3tpf, R Magill. Subs: C McCrickard for McKibben 45 mins; A McClemenrts for Savage 55; E Branigan for Mooney 55; M Rooney for J Guinness 59.
CORK: P Doyle 0-1f; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, N Loughran; B O’Driscoll 0-2, 1tp, R Maguire 0-2, 1tp, M Tailluir; S Walsh 0-1, C O’Callaghan; P Walsh, S Porter, E McSweeney 0-1; M Cronin 0-6, 2tpf, C Óg Jones 1-0, S McDonnell 1-2, 1tp. Subs: T Walsh for Porter 29 mins; C Maguire for McSweeney 55.
REFEREE: B Cassidy (Derry).
