Down sent out a warning sign to every other county left in the All-Ireland SFC at Breffni Park on Saturday evening as they registered a hugely impressive 3-20 against Sligo.
James McCartan's charges were simply superb from start to finish and in the end had an incredible 19 points to spare over the Connacht finalists.
By the time John Clarke fisted the ball to the Yeats County net on 26 minutes Down were already 0-8 to 0-3 ahead and they pushed on to lead 1-10 to 0-6 at the break.
The Mourne men did not ease up on the restart, as midfielder Ambrose Rogers grabbed his side's second goal.
Substitute Ronan Murtagh, who eventually helped himself to 1-6, notched Down's third goal as Sligo's run in the championship came to a disappointing end.
Sligo's woes were compounded late on as Adrian Marren saw red but it mattered little as Down march into the quarter-finals quietly confident of causing an upset.