Mark Hughes netted a goal for Longford.
All Ireland Football Round 1B Qualifier
Longford 2-24 Down 3-17 (After extra-time)
By Orla Bannon at Pairc Esler, Newry
Longford brought Down's miserable season to a close with two extra-time goals in Pairc Esler to advance to Monday's All-Ireland SFC qualifiers Round 2B draw.
The visitors dominated the game apart from the third quarter, when Donal O'Hare, who top-scored with 2-9, hit the net twice after half time to bring Down back into the game.
Longford raised their game in extra time, with substitutes Seamus Hannon and Mark Hughes scoring goals in each half to inflict an 11th defeat on Down in 11 inter-county matches played in 2016.
For Longford, who'd lost by eight points to Offaly in the Leinster Championship, this was a big scalp to take against a side who had played Division One Football in the Allianz League.
After the sides finished level 3-12 to 0-21 after normal time, there was only one team in it in the extra 20 minutes with Longford subs Seamus Hannon and Mark Hughes scoring extra-time goals to put their side through to Monday's Round 2B draw.
Longford dominated the first half and bar a breakaway goal finished by Conor Maginn, Down were well off the pace and lucky to only trail 0-11 to 1-4 at the break with Longford hitting eight first-half wides.
Inspirational captain Mickey Quinn drove them forward and set up numerous scores with Robbie Smyth, James McGivney, Barry McKeon, and Diarmuid Masterson all taking stylish points from distance.
Down led by 0-2 to 0-1 after 11 minutes but Longford scored six of the next seven points in the following 10 minutes.
Down looked short on confidence, but Maginn brought them back into it. Kevin McKernan's long ball found Donal O'Hare, Barry O'Hagan then off-loaded to Maginn for an easy tap-in in Down's best move of the match.
Robbie Smith and Joe Murphy in action at Pairc Esler.
The long ball and direct approach was something Down didn't exploit often enough and frequently coughed up possession too easily.
Longford capitalised on a lot of the turnovers, but poor shooting cost them a bigger interval lead. Down came out a different team and O'Hare rattled the net 35 seconds after the restart to set the tone for a much-improved second half.
Conor Maginn pointed to draw them level before Barry McKeon nudged Longford ahead again.
But there was far greater urgency to Down's play and O'Hare slotted home his second goal after 44 minutes to put the home side in front for the first time in over half an hour.
Ryan Mallon and the on-fire O'Hare put Down three points up, but having been outplayed in the second half, Longford somehow found another gear.
Three points from play in two minutes from the inspirational Quinn, Masterson and McGivney saw them draw level, at 3-9 to 0-18 with seven minutes to go.
They made it five in a row through Brian Kavanagh and Masterson to move two ahead but Mallon and sub Sean Dornan levelled it in the 69th minute with extra-time looming.
Quinn's fourth point in the second minute of injury time put Longford in front, but after Michael Brady was sent-off for a second yellow, O'Hare equalised for Down taking it to extra-time.
Longford sub Seamus Hannon bagged a goal nine minutes into extra time to help the visitors lead 1-23 to 3-16 at half-time and Hughes clinched it with an 86th minute goal.
Scorers for Down: D O'Hare 2-9 (8fs), C Maginn 1-1, R Mallon 0-4, B O'Hagan 0-1, S Dornan 0-1, M Poland 0-1.
Scorers for Longford: B Kavanagh 0-6 (5fs), M Quinn 0-4, R Smyth (0-4, 1f), S Hannon 1-1, J McGivney 0-3, D Masterson 0-3, M Hughes 1-0, B McKeon 0-2, D Reynolds 0-1.
Down: M Reid; C McGovern, G McGovern, D O'Hagan; D McKibbin, A Carr, D O'Hanlon; P Turley, K McKernan; R Mallon, M Poland, J Murphy; C Maginn, D O'Hare, B O'Hagan
Subs: G Collins for McKibbin (43), M McKay for McKernan (53), D Turley for Murphy (55), S Dornan (0-1) for B O'Hagan (63), H Brown for McKay (BC, 79), K McKernan for Maginn (84), B McArdle for Carr (89).
Longford: P Collum; C Farrelly, B Gilleran, D Brady; D McElligot, M Quinn, D Masterson; M Brady, D Gallagher; D Reynolds, J McGivney, B McKeon; R Smyth, B Kavanagh, B O'Farrell.
Subs: P McGee for Gilleran (47), L Connerton for Gallagher (55), S Hannon (1-1) for McKeon (60), B Farrell for Reynolds (67), M Hughes (1-0) for J McGivney (BC, 80), R Connor for Smyth (86), D McGivney for Quinn (89).
Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).
