Captain Ciaran Murtagh gave an exhibition of scoring as he helped himself to 1-6 of Roscommon's tally.

Fintan Cregg and Conor Daly were impressive too as Roscommon notched their third win of the league campaign.

Down came into the game on the back of three losses in as many games but they started well with a point each for Darragh O'Hanlon and Connaire Harrison to lead inside seven minutes.

But Roscommon found their range with captain Ciaran Murtagh kicking four points in ten minutes to cancel out Down's lead.

Wing-forward Fintan Cregg scored two points in quick succession to extend Roscommon's lead making it 0-6 to 0-2 with 22 minutes on the clock.

Cathal Devaney found himself one-on-one with Down goalkeeper Michael Cunningham in the 23rd minute but the Castlewellan clubman did well to stop the wing-forward's effort.

Conor Daly kept the scoreboard ticking over for Roscommon but Harrison and Mark Poland ended Down's drought with a point apiece late in the half to narrow the gap to three points at the break.

Cregg and Murtagh got a point each in the first five minutes of the second half before Barry O'Hagan got one back for Down.

Shortly after O'Hagan's score, Roscommon forward Senan Kilbirde was shown a black card but it this didn't deter the Connacht side as they kept their rhythm.

Cathal Cregg and Daly both split the posts in quick succession to give them a seven point lead with 12 minutes to play.

Down substitute Paul Devlin kicked a point shortly after being introduced as Down narrowed the gap to six points but this mattered little as Murtagh grabbed Roscommon's goal.

Down goalkeeper Cunningham was shown a black card for a foul which resulted in the penalty and his replacement Stephen Kane couldn't keep out Murtagh's effort as he capped a terrific display to give Roscommon a well-deserved nine-point victory.

Roscommon: G Claffey; S McDermott, N Collins, N McInerney; C Daly (0-2), S Purcell, D Murray; E Smith, I Kilbride; F Cregg (0-3, 0-1f), C Murtagh (1-6, 1-0 pen, 0-4f), C Devaney; C Connolly, S Kilbride, C Cregg (0-1).

Subs: R Stack for Smith (half-time), N Kilroy for S Kilbride (54, black card), R daly for C Cregg (59), C McHugh for Connolly (65), C Shine for I Kilbride (68), J McManus for McInerney (70).

Down: M Cunningham; R Boyle, G McGovern, G Collins; J Flynn, A Carr, D O'Hanlon (0-1); P Turley, M McKay; C Maginn, M Poland (0-1), R Mallon; C McGovern, C Harrison (0-2, 1f), B O'Hagan (0-1).

Subs: D O’Hare for Harrison (52), N Madine for O’Hagan (57), P Devlin (0-1) for Poland (57), D McKibbon for Flynn (65), C Doyle for Maginn (68), S Kane for Cunningham (69, black card).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)