Substitute Orla Swail’s second-half goal helped Down clinch the All-Ireland Junior Ladies Football title as they edged out Limerick 1-7 to 0-8.
Limerick were punished for missing three first-half goal chances as Natasha Ferris’ four points contributed to Down’s 0-5 to 0-4 half-time lead.
The Treaty County moved 0-6 to 0-5 ahead but Aimee O’Higgins levelled before Swail notched her superb goal.
The sub burst through the Limerick defence before netting with a low shot.
Swail also came off the bench to score Down’s late goal in the 1-9 to 0-8 semi-final win over Carlow.
Down’s victory means they will make a quick return to intermediate level after dropping down to the junior grade last year.
It’s the second time that the Mourne County have lifted the West County Hotel Cup after their previous success in 2000.
‘We knew we were capable of it all year’
Joint-manager Caoibhe Sloan said the management and players were thrilled at securing a return to the intermediate grade.
“We knew we were capable of it all year,” said Sloan.
“We probably knew we were going in as favourites and we probably were talking that down a small bit,” said Sloan.
“Trying to keep the girls grounded, keep us, the management, grounded. Make sure that we knew it didn’t actually count for anything being favourites.
“It was going to be a nip and tuck battle, and it was.”
Down had defeated Limerick by five points in the group stages of the competition but they expected a tougher test in the decider and that’s what they got.
The first half turned into something of a scoring duel between Ferris and Limerick’s Caoimhe McGrath.
Ferris gave Down a third-minute lead from a free but a superb double dummy from McGrath led to her levelling a minute later before she added two frees to put the Shannonsiders 0-3 to 0-1 up by the 10th minute.
Down were on terms by the 18th minute as another Ferris free was followed by her pointing from play after a burst forward by player of the match Orla Duffy.
Limerick’s trio of missed goal chances came in the 11 minutes before half-time as skipper Roisin Ambrose and McGrath both fired wide – the latter after being brilliantly set up by Karen O’Leary – while a sensational interception by Natalie McKibbin cut out a fisted pass from O’Leary when the Down defence appeared outnumbered in the final play of the first half.
By that stage, Down were one ahead after McGrath’s fourth score had been responded to by Aimee Higgins and Ferris efforts from play.
Limerick fought back to lead within three minutes of the resumption after points from Deborah Murphy and O’Leary.
At that stage, Down were making life difficult for themselves by giving possession away.
Swail’s strike ensures Down’s victory
However, O’Higgins’ second point levelled the contest in the 38th minute before the introduction of Swail and other substitutes turned the game in the Mourne County’s favour.
The withdrawal of the impressive O’Higgins by Down joint-managers Peter Lynch and Caoibhe Sloan in the 42nd minute looked questionable but within 30 seconds the ball was in Limerick’s net after Swail’s stunning burst through the centre of the defence.
Jolted by the blow, Limerick fired three bad wides and while an Iris Kennelly score cut Down’s lead to two with 11 minutes remaining, the Mourne County controlled the closing stages as Limerick’s star first-half forward McGrath was replaced with the Treaty County also having the influential O’Leary sin-binned in the 54th minute.
Ferris’ fifth point, which extended her championship scoring tally to 7-31, restored Down’s advantage to three with three minutes left with substitute Meadhbh McNamara’s score Limerick’s sole response.
Ferris’ 0-5 haul moved her nine points clear of Clare’s Fidelma Marrinan in the race for the Ladies Championships’ Golden Boot award with the Banner County involved in the intermediate final against Kildare later in the afternoon.
