A MORAL victory instead of the jaw dropping one Antrim so gamely bargained for will be of little consolation this morning. Donegal manager PJ McGowan admitted he was "very relieved" when the Ulster championship first round clash was finally over at Ballybofey yesterday.

He had endured the trauma of watching his team barely survive the defiant challenge by an Antrim side that failed mainly because of levels of naivete that militated against their worthy level of fitness.

Donegal were basically cast into two contrasting roles. They seemed like a side that was coasting to a predictable, easy win when they lead by nine points 18 minutes into the second half. Yet in the closing stages they struggled nervously and anxiously to hold a revitalised Antrim challenge at bay.

The extent to which an impressively fit Ant rim side pushed more fancied opponents to the brink is best explained though the happenings of the last couple of minutes.

With only a goal separating the sides, Donegal goalkeeper Paul Callaghan sprawled himself to deny substitute Kevin Madden of an imminent goal, at the expense of a 45.

Paul Derby lofted the resultant kick towards the Donegal posts, only for the eager Ant rim players to be whistled up for standing inside the square. It was the third time for Antrim attackers to lack discipline in this crucial area.

Antrim's prime defenders, centre back Aiden Short and full back Martin Mulholland, then took it upon themselves to try to save the day. Short soloed 40 yards through a tiring Donegal defence and sent the charging Mulholland clear for a crack at goal. Fortunately for Donegal, Mulholland's shot whizzed over for a point instead.

It was the second time in a fascinating match for Antrim to miss out on a goal chance in this way. David Smyth experienced the same fate in the first half.

Donegal players such as Declan Bonner and Brian Murray were critical of their team's effort. Bonner said that "maybe the fright will do us good and make some of our players more committed". "Thankfully," said Manus Boyle, "we have four weeks to sort ourselves out."

"We did a lot of messing in the second and last quarters," said Murray, who scored a brilliant goal early in the second half. "After that I will have the height of respect for Antrim. They earned it out there today," added the Dublin Garda.

McGowan indicated that he would not be admonishing his players. "They achieved what they set out to do and that was to reach the Ulster semifinal."

McGowan, although not impressed by his team's "down gear" display, as he choose to put it, felt they were the better side. "It was our first competitive win this year," he happily reminded us.

Antrim will rue the fact that they did not make better use of the amount of possession they created. Manager Ray McDonnell admitted that he had made a mistake in not playing youngsters Kevin Madden and Peter McCann from the start.

"They proved me wrong in opting for experience," said McDonnell. Ant rim put the first score on the board, a point after only 20 seconds by Jimmy Wilson.

After that they did not manage a second score until the 20th minute, when Donegal had eased into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead.

Against the wind in the first half Donegal's Barry McGowan, Brian Murray, Noel Hegarty, Jim McGuinness, Declan Bonner and Tony and Manus Boyle were contriving moves to undermine Antrim morale. Tony Boyle brushed off tackles to lash home the first goal from an angle close in.

Yet, Antrim remained brave and found space in a convincing way to hold their more fancied opponents.

Donegal were happy enough to be a goal in front at the interval, 1-6 to 0-6.

Brian Murray scored an early second half goal that seemed likely to be the launching pad for a clear cut win. How wrong that perception proved.

It took three footballs to finish the match; the first two went flat, but there was nothing as deflated in Ballybofey yesterday as Donegal ego at the final whistle.

Antrim can build for the future and, next year perhaps, remedy a humiliating 15 seasons without success in a championship match. They have many talented players, not least their athletic full back Martin Mulholland. "We had the chances to win it," said Mulholland. They surely had.