Sexton pounced three minutes into the second half to score after what was a poor first half from both sides.

Donegal had led 0-04 to 0-01 after the opening 35 minutes.

In a scrappy opening, Donegal’s top scorer in the league, Brendan Devenney (7-25) almost nipped in for a goal and his sharp shot on two minutes beat Michael McVeigh, but cannoned to safety off the crossbar.

Down’s Liam Doyle quick answered Colm McFadden’s fourth minute opener for Donegal, as Brian Roper was fouled.

Yet that was to prove Down’s only score of the first as they hit five wides and shared out a quintet of yellow cards with the opposition, who stole their three-point lead through further scores from All-star Adrian Sweeney, Devenney and Christy Toye, all points from play.

Sexton’s goal drew Down back level however, and on 45 minutes, they assumed the lead with a carbon copy of Sexton’s goal – another low finish past goalkeeper Paul Durcan from Hughes.

Michael Hegarty clipped over a sixth point for Donegal two minutes later, but with 10 minutes remaining Down still held the advantage at 2-04 to 0-09.

Having been level on three occasions, with the last coming when Gregory McCartan and Devenney traded frees, a final Sexton point from a free with four minutes remaining edged Down back into a lead they failed to relinquish.