Tyrone..............2-8
Down...................2-8
By Barry O'Donnell

MORE questions than answers were raised about Tyrone's Championship credentials this summer as they spluttered their way through seventy minutes against a spirited if limited Down side in Omagh on Sunday afternoon.

A typically hard fought, if error strewn, first round encounter ended in deadlock, meaning the two counties must lock horns again at Pairc Esler this coming Saturday evening, with a huge improvement required from Micky Harte's men if they are to advance belatedly to the Ulster semi-finals.

Having surged into a seven-point lead with just over twenty-two minutes having elapsed, the hosts looked to be living up to their favourites tag. Yet they wilted alarmingly as the contest unfolded, several players clearly struggling in the suffocating Healy Park heat, and in the end no one could deny the enterprising Mourne visitors another crack at it.

Despite pre-match utterances in some quarters about the shortcomings of the Tyrone forward line (the three named starting inside men actually contributed a goal and six points between them), it was glaring failings in usually more reliable sectors of the field (midfield and the half-back line) that almost provided Ross Carr's upstarts with a notable scalp.

Seasoned campaigners likes Davy Harte, Conor Gormley, Colin Holmes and Philip Jordan struggled to impose themselves on proceedings as Tyrone's early onslaught subsided. The eccentricity of netminder Pascal McConnell between the posts also contributed to the general unease, which permeated the defence throughout much of the afternoon, despite the industry and diligence of relative newcomers Justin McMahon and Damian McCaul.

As expected Tyrone began with Sean Cavanagh spearheading the attack, with Enda McGinley partnering Holmes in midfield. McGinley though was to see limited playing time, shipping a heavy knock around the chest in the first quarter of an hour which meant Kevin Hughes was drafted into the action.

By that juncture Tyrone had already struck for a goal and indeed they could have netted as early as the second minute, Martin Penrose swivelling to drill a low shot inches past the right hand post after Down goalie Brendan McVeigh had flapped at Colm McCullagh's '45'.

But in the eighth minute a green flag was raised, the two Brians, Dooher and McGuigan combining to set Penrose in the clear and he released McCullagh to fire assuredly high past McVeigh with the left foot.

A rattled looking Down rearguard were slow to settle, the pace and incision of the Red Hands exposing gaping holes at the back. A tug on the rampaging Dooher by Damien Rafferty enabled Colm Cavanagh to slot over a 13m free but Ronan Sexton eventually got the away team on the board, cutting in cleverly on his left foot to hoist over in the 12th minute.

However with McCullagh razor sharp, ably supported by his colleagues, the match appeared to be following the pre-ordained script, the Dromore ace floating over two quality efforts to put the cap on some fluent Tyrone approach work.

Even when their hard-working captain Dan Gordon skilfully roamed up the field to split the posts, Down's cause was already looking a forlorn one.

In the 17th minute their back line was cut asunder again, Hughes raking delivery was deftly flicked on by Penrose to Sean Cavanagh who cut in and cleverly side-footed the goalie to tap home Tyrone's second goal.

Liam Doyle's 25m converted free seemed a paltry response especially when Colm Cavanagh then advanced unchecked, Penrose once more to the fore in the build-up, but rather than go for a killer third goal he was content to fist over.

Incredibly from a position of such dominance, leading 2-4 to 0-3, in the 22nd minute, the Red Hands went almost half an hour before registering another score, as the quality of their performance disintegrated.

They were handed a lucky break when Gordon surged high above McConnell to fist Aidan Carr's '45' to the net, ref David Coldrick deeming the Mourne skipper to be inside the square.

Tyrone were also threatening to bury more goals at the other end, Penrose producing a sharp stop from McVeigh after skatting clear of Colm Murney, and then Hughes crashing a shot off the crossbar. John Clarke smashed a similar effort against the Tyrone black spot, after evading McConnell's lunge, but with substitute Paul Murphy making an immediate impression Down managed to grab a lifeline before the interval.

The replacement put the previously subdued Benny Coulter in the clear and after rounding Pascal he drilled in a shot which cracked the inside of the post and rebounded over the line off the unfortunate McMahon. (Half-time Tyrone 2-4 Down 1-3)

Ross Carr wrung the changes at the break, introducing Ambrose Rodgers and Kevin McKernan, and their physical prowess was to be a determining factor in the visitors forging their way back into the tie.

Tyrone's defensive colossus Conor Gormley had shipped a heavy tackle in the closing stages of the first period and he was unable to impose him on the game as the second half unfolded.

The hosts play was becoming more ragged and disjointed though Down really should have been reduced to fourteen men, full-back Martin Cole fortunate to escape with just a yellow after lunging an elbow at Davy Harte as he tried to wrest clear.

Points from Doyle (20m free) and Gordon sandwiched a Penrose fisted score at the other end, the Tyrone forward unit becoming more isolated, as the likes of Brian McGuigan faded following a sprightly opening.

Murphy belted a beauty to further raise the morale of the Mourne followers and suddenly in the 51st minute they hit the front for the first time. Danny Hughes released Coulter and with the defence stranded he touched it across for Rodgers to palm into the unguarded net.

Sean Cavanagh responded with a 35m strike to make it 2-6 apiece but the momentum was all with the visitors now, their energy levels and insatiable hunger looking superior to that of the hosts.

Rodgers put them ahead again but a revitalised Dooher, not for the first time stepped up to the plate with a priceless leveller.

Kevin Hughes looked like being the late hero for Tyrone when turning to shoot the go-ahead score, but a late free from the mercurial Paul McCumiskey handed Down a deserved draw.