Taken from www.gaa.ie

GUINNESS ULSTER SHC SEMI-FINAL:

Down 1-12 Derry 2-9

Down had to come from five points down in their Guinness Ulster SHC semi-final clash to take a five-point interval lead, but it was Derry in the end that could have secured victory. Instead, the sides finished level, Down 1-12 Derry 2-9.

An injury-time Gregory Biggs sideline cut was just centimetres out, and struck the crossbar before dropping safely into the arms of goalkeeper Graham Clarke. Pre-match underdogs Derry got off to the perfect start when Geoffrey McGonigle fielded a Ruairi Convery free to the goalmouth and kicked the sliothar to the net in the third minute. And three minutes later, Derry had extended their lead with superb points from Gregory Biggs and Ray Kennedy.

Down's response was immediate with scores form Brendan McGourty and Gerard Adair but McGonigle hit back with a free after he'd been fouled. Midway through the half Adair scored a second point to leave three between the sides, before Eoin Clarke made further inroads into Derry's lead with a fine point.

In the 20th minute, McGonigle was injured in a tackle but the referee waved play on and Martin Coulter raced 30 metres to crash the ball to the net to give Down the lead for the first time.

Points from a Wilson free and Coulter extended their lead, though Derry refused to fold and came back through another pointed free by McGonigle. However, scores from Gareth Johnson and Treanor ensured Down held a comfortable half-time advantage, 1-9 to 1-4.

Gary Biggs followed Steven Clarke into the referee's notebook early in the second half before Ray Kennedy scored an inspirational point for Derry. The Oak Leafers were on a roll and McGonigle reduced the deficit still further in the 45th minute. Three minutes later, they were level when a McGonigle free rebounded off the post and Sean McBride was in the right position to crash a shot to the net past Clarke.

Treanor and John O'Dwyer traded points, before McGonigle put Derry ahead, 2-8 to 1-10, midway through the half. Coulter missed a proverbial sitter from 10 metres soon after that might have proved costly, but the clearance came back to substitute Andy Savage who salvaged a levelling score with 15 minutes remaining.

Ten minutes from time, Greg Biggs pointed a free from all of 100 metres, but down drew level again before a rousing finale, that ended with the Oak Leafers coming within centimetres of snatching a win. But Greg Biggs' sideline cut dropped just short. The replay is fixed for Casement Park next Sunday with a throw-in time of 2pm.