Donegal minors made easy work in disposing of Down thanks to an explosive start.
Luke Barrett’s side were 1-02 ahead in just over two minutes , a free from Dylan Mulholland was followed by a brilliant solo goal by Jack Hegarty and a Shane Callaghan point from play.
Rian Magorrian’s free opened Down’s account but two Shane Callaghan points and one from Conor McCahill had Donegal 1-05 to 0-01 ahead after fifteen minutes.
The one-way traffic continued , Down keeper Niall Howlett denied Dylan Mulholland a goal with a brillant save, deflecting the ball over the bar, and further points from Shane Callaghan with two , Luke Clerkin , John James Sweeney , Conor McCahill , and Oisín Scanlon, to a lone free from McGorrian to leave Donegal 1-10 to 0-02 ahead.
Five minutes from half-time it got worse for the home team as Conor McCahill finished off a flowing move with Donegal’s second goal and a third Dylan Mulholland point left the score at the break 2-13 to 0-02 in Donegal’s favour.
Donegal started the second-half as they did the first with a flowing move ending with a Shane Callaghan goal , followed by a Callaghan point and another from Mulholland , 3-15 to 0-02.
To their credit Down kept trying and were rewarded with four points in a row , three from the impressive Rian Magorrian and one from Jamie McFerran. Conor McCahill and John James Sweeney replied for Donegal before Magorrian added another, his sixth and Donal Gallagher finished off the Donegal scoring.
Two wins now for Donegal and a place in the quarter-finals secured but still two games to play against Derry and Monaghan to sort out the final placings in the table.
Down ; Niall Howlett , Keelan Toland, Cathal Keenan , Daniel McMahon , Luke Rafferty , David Leggett , Darren Doherty , Dara McAleenan Luke Quinn , D J Farrell , Darragh Poland , Ben Cassidy , Barra McEvoy , Rian Magorrian (0-06), Jamie McFerrran.
Subs Used ; Patrick Woods , Corey Clerkin , Tadgh O Hanlon , Darragh Saul , Keelin McPoland , Donegal : Padraig McBride, Donal Gallagher(0-01), Jordi Gribben, Callum McCrea, Finbarr Roarty , Darragh Hennigan , Luke Clerkin (0-01), Oisin Scanlan(0-01), Lorcan McGee, Jack Hegarty ( 1-0), Shane Callaghan ( 1-06 ), John James Sweeney (0-02 ), Dylan Mulholland ( 0-04), Conor McCahill ( 1-03), , Gavin Doherty . Subs used ; Eoghan Scott , Ronan Maher , Eoin Gallagher , Jack Gallagher , Danny Brown ,
Referee ; James Lewis ( Fermanagh ).
