WOMEN'S FOOTBALL ALL-IRELAND SFC:ULSTER TEAMS Down and Armagh bounced back from their provincial championship defeats to record victories over Meath and Waterford respectively in the TG4 All-Ireland women's senior football qualifiers yesterday.

Bryansford's Natasha Ferris and Downpatrick player Kyla Trainor both scored 1-1 as Down defeated Meath 2-12 to 0-13 in the second of two games that took place at St Loman's, Mullingar.

Ferris, a late inclusion on the Down team, scored the crucial first-half goal for her side, who led by 1-6 to 0-6 at the interval.

After half-time, Meath showed huge character and made a real fight of it, recovering to lead by two points as the game reached boiling point.

The pendulum swung back and forth in a tit-for-tat second half but Trainor scored the crucial goal in the last five minutes to secure a precious victory for Down.

Orla Fegan, Michaela Downey, who scored two points, and wing back Sinéad Fegan were the Down lynchpins as they got their championship campaign back on track following the Ulster championship defeat against Tyrone.

Armagh, meanwhile, remain a formidable outfit and recovered from their Ulster championship exit against Donegal by recording a 1-11 to 0-8 victory over Waterford in the first game of the double-header.

Aileen Matthews led the way in the scoring stakes for Antrim with a 1-6 haul, 1-3 before half-time. Her side raced into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead and the Matthews goal just before half-time established a 1-6 to 0-2 interval lead.

Alma O'Donnell and Shauna O'Hagan were also in good scoring form for Armagh as O'Donnell registered two points, with O'Hagan going even one better.