Antrim...1-9 Down...1-9: Determination earned Antrim a deserved draw at Casement Park in yesterday's clash against Down after the visitors had gone into the lead with two minutes left.
The home side went in at the break 1-5 to 0-4 to the good, the goal arriving in injury time when Paul Close flicked a Peter McCann centre to the net. However, Down put in a storming start to the second half with three points inside four minutes but Daryl Martin and Kevin Madden (free) stopped the Antrim slide.
There were only two more points - one for each team - scored in over 20 minutes of second-half play but Down came to life after a flare-up between a number of players and the managers.
Down's Ronan Murtagh was sent off in the 59th minute but the setback seemed to inspire his team and with four minutes left Greg McCartan fisted to the net. Within 60 seconds McCartan pointed a free but in a strong finish Antrim were rescued by Kieran McGourty.
ANTRIM: S McGreevy; K Murray, T Convery, J McKeever; S Kelly (0-1), R O'Loan, A Finnegan; J Quinn, D Martin (0-1); P McCann (0-4, 3 frees), K Brady, K McGourty (0-1); P Close (1-0), D O'Hare, K Madden (0-2, frees). Subs: N Ward for McKeever (54 mins); M McGarry for Martin (59).
DOWN: B McVeigh; B Ward, A Molloy, A Scullion; M Cole, A Shields, S Farrell; B Coulter, G McCartan (1-2, one pointed free); R Murtagh (0-1), L Doyle (0-2, one free), G McCrickard; D Hughes (0-1), D Gordon (0-2), R Sexton (0-1). Subs: J Lavery for Shields (half-time); S Kearney for McCrickard (half-time); J Clarke for Sexton (52 mins); K McGuigan for Cole (60); E McCartan for Coulter (70).
Referee: M Hughes (Tyrone).
