Wicklow 1-5 Down 0-8: Last year's beaten Ulster finalists Down came away from Aughrim with a draw after sharing the lead four times over the 70 minutes.

Wicklow did have their chances to win, with Wayne O'Gorman seeing his shot on 52 minutes brilliantly saved at close range by Down goalkeeper Michael McVeigh.

Two minutes later Brendan Ó hAnnaidh took off on a fine solo run through the Down defence but put his shot wide, while in the last minute, Wicklow substitute Stephen Hurley put the ball into the side netting from the edge of the square.

In a dogged and closely fought encounter there was no score for the last 28 minutes.

Wicklow led by 1-4 to 0-6 at half -time.

Down's star centre-forward John Clarke pointed the teams level for a third time in the first minute of the second half.

Ó hAnnaidh restored Wicklow's lead five minutes later and the last score of the game came five minutes into the second half when full forward Aidan O'Prey pointed.

In the 58th minute Down's midfielder Brendan Coulter was provided with an opening but his attempt to sneak a goal was thwarted by alert Wicklow goalkeeper Robert Hollingsworth.

Down would have expected more than a draw from this match, especially after being held to a draw by Tipperary last week, but Wicklow deserved no less than a share of the points

WICKLOW: R Hollingsworth; C Hyland, C Foley, T Burke; A Foley, G Doran, C Davis; C Clancy, B Ó hAnnaidh (0-1); A Ellis, T Doyle (0-1), T Harney; W O'Gorman (1-0), T Gill (0-3), A Furlong. Subs: L Óg Mooney for Harney, S Hurley for Furlong, B Sheehan for Davis, S Byrne for O'Gorman, P Dalton for Clancy.

DOWN: M McVeigh; B Ward, A Molloy, A Scullion; R Sexton, S Ward, S Farrell; B Coulter, D Gordon; L Doyle (0-3), J Clarke (0-3), C McCrickard; E McCartan, A O'Prey (0-2), D Hughes. Subs: M Higgins for B Ward, S Ward for O'Prey , S Kearney for McCartan.

Referee: P Russell (Tipperary).