Played last sat in perfect conditions in Castlewellan, Down weathered a shakey first 15 mins against a classy Antrim team who have playing regularly in preparation for the long overdue start of this All Ireland masters football league but after takeing advantage of a gift goal which sailed into the right hand corner of the net from a high lob way out on the left wing that fooled everyone in the vinicity which left them leading 1.0 to 0.2 they slowly but surely turned the screw to their advantage.

Down were a little flattered to be leading 1.3 to 05 at half time with Antrim missing some scores when in good positions but to ballance this they had their own share of near misses including a goal effort which rebounded off the keeper and still have a tendancy to look for the killer pass in the oppositions 21 yard area which is fine if it results in a score but is a little demoralising when it is entercepted and is cleared down the field for a score against the run of play.

Peter Withnal 94 All Ireland winner medalist made his debut for Down after playing for Clonduff the previous evening and produced a brilliant display at midfield along with Brendan Mc Kernan who was equally brilliant alongside Mark McCartan another 94 medalist winner at center full forward who comandered every ball that came near him while seting up his mates and taking a few nice points himself. Others who caught the eye were Micky McMahon in goals whose distribution and kick outs were a big plus for Down and Ross Carr who started at center half forward but when moved to a dual two up front role with Mark McCartan caused the antrims defence huge problems in the last fiveteen minutes and was a big factor in killing them off when they were threatning to make a last ditch effort to win the game.

Eamon O Rourkes new role at center full back was a sucess along side the rest of the defence who held a very good Antrim forward line to just seven points which speaks for its self while overall the entire team played good solid typical down style football with no one having an off day and everyone backing up their team mates at times when Antrim threatened to take over and lets us see that they are still a team to be feared after the return to the panel of seven or eight of last years panel and the inclusion of four or five new young forty year olds. As mentioned earlier this was a very good Antrim team which played classy atractive football with big Terry Murrary and Jerry Caqrragher just edgeing it at midfield for periods and the every green Alex McQuillan at half back setting up his forwards on neumerous occacions but when they didnt take their scores when presented seems to me to be their only fault and its a pity that this defeat means they will not be contesting the final stages of the competition.

Down team panel and scorers ;
mickey my mahon (darragh cross ) john farrell (annaclone) eamon o rourke (an riocht) garvin bradly (banbridge) donal ward (castlewellan) 0.1, sean mc rory (glen) mike quinn (an riocht) 0.1, brendan mc kernan (burren) peter withnal (clonduff) 0.1, audi mc veigh (castlewellan) 0.1, ross carr (clonduff) 0.1, sean devlin (kilcoo) 1.0, noel greenan (annaclone) 0.2, mark mc carten (carryduff)0.3, aidan rice (rostrevor) subs; paddy hardy (castlewellan)0.1 for aidan rice, sean mc keon (mayobridge), declan mc cann (dromara), john donnelly (drumgath), martin mc caul (drumgath), jerry mc avoy (coke)(aghaderg), seamus sloan (an riocht), terry o higgins (letrim), john henan (annaclone), micky mc keown (st michaels)