Down booked a place in the semi-finals of the Linden Cup, thanks to a late winner from Chris Taylor against Parkview last weekend.

The locals struggled for long periods and the cup tie looked destined for a draw until Taylor kept his cool in the dying embers of the game to slip the ball past the 'keeper for a dramatic winner.

Down now have to wait for the semi-final draw to see who'll they face on December 9, but it won't be derby rivals Ballynahinch who crashed out of the competition at the weekend.

Parkview started the brighter of the two sides and created the first opening for Adam McDonald who was thwarted by Jeremy McCready and Aaron Minnis who combined to clear the danger.

Two minutes later, Gavin Ringland was denied at the other end after being set up by Ashley Gibson who produced a pinpoint pass. Gibson was then denied in the fifth minute, but he did earn his side their first short corner of the game from which he shot narrowly wide.

The shale surface was making passing difficult for both teams, with both battling for midfield supremacy. Paul Harvey was again a rock at the heart of the Parkview defence and was on hand to deny Gibson in the ninth minute.

McCready vacated his defensive duties in the 10th minute to fire a dangerous cross into the penalty area, but no Down player could get on the end of it. At the other end, John Young posed a threat on the left for the visitors and the one time he made it into the penalty area in the first half, he was superbly tackled by Alasdair Duff.

Parkview were pressing at this stage and took the lead in the 17th minute through Russ Munro. Indecision in the Down penalty area saw Adam McDonald's shot charged down, but when the ball broke to Munro, he slipped it under Mark Johnston.

The goal was the kick up the backside the locals needed and there was renewed energy about them when the game restarted. A Stephen Ferguson cross was hooked clear by Harvey and then David Caldwell was penalised for stopping Sinclair White in full flight, bearing down on the penalty area.

The pressure was building on Parkview at this stage and the home side made it 1-1 in the 26th minute following some clever thinking. Ringland slipped a quick free to White who blasted the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty area.

Taylor should have increased his side's lead three minutes later and the same player was annoyed he then struck the wrong side of the sideboard after being out through by Gibson. In the final minute of the half, Ringland was denied by Harvey as the Down player was about to pull the trigger.

McCready had to be alert at the start of the second half to clear his line after good work by Caldwell and Young and the former was left holding his head in his hands when his short corner struck the post and rebounded to safety, much to the relief of the Down players and home supporters.

Ferguson drilled a shot wide in the 40th minute while two minutes later Down were awarded a short corner when Harvey hit the ball away in frustration after the home side had been awarded a free.

But Gibson's subsequent effort was saved. Harvey then almost turned goalscorer at the other end, but his short corner strike was saved by Johnston, who repeated the feat against the same player minutes later. In the 49th minute, Taylor put his side ahead for the first time in the game. Gibson made good ground down the right and picked out Taylor on the left hand side of the penalty area. After calmly sidestepping Harvey, he produced an exquisite reverse stick shot which beat the 'keeper.

Johnston then produced that save to deny Harvey at the other end as Parkview pressed once more in a bid to take something from the game. Johnny Lennon, who replaced the injured Aaron Minnis, produced a brilliant goal-line clearance to deny Caldwell before Taylor had a chance at the other end to out the game out of sight, but his tame shot was saved.

Ringland's reverse stick shot in the 60th minute blazed over the bar before Taylor's control let him down at  a crucial time in the 68th minute when he only had the 'keeper to beat.

Parkview were awarded a penalty corner just a second before the umpires signalled the end of play and with the set piece allowed to be played out, the visitors made a mess of what was their final chance to grab a point.

The win not only books Down's semi-final spot, but also sets them up nicely for their first game of the Senior One season when they face Newry this Saturday.