Ulster rivals to do it all again

Tyrone 2-8 Down 2-8 : Tyrone and Down will replay at Páirc Esler in Newry after finishing level in a Healy Park thriller.

Tyrone 2-8 Down 2-8: Tyrone and Down will replay at Páirc Esler in Newry after finishing level in a Healy Park thriller.

Down came from seven points behind to come close to sending the hot favourites crashing out of the Ulster SFC in a cliffhanger of a game.

In the end, the Mourne men needed a late equaliser from a free by substitute Paul McComiskey, but it was no more than they deserved.

The Down defence was ripped apart in the opening 20 minutes, as Tyrone started with a vengeance.

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Colm McCullagh blasted home Tyrone's first goal in the eighth minute, and Sean Cavanagh added another in the 17th minute.

Cavanagh, lining out at full forward in a departure from the selected line-up, caused major problems inside, and McCullagh was buzzing, ready to take up any offer of possession.

The return of Brian McGuigan and Brian Dooher had an immediate impact, and they, along with Martin Penrose, were involved in the move which finished with McCullagh smashing the ball to the roof of the net in the eighth minute.

The goalscorer swept over a couple of points, with Colm Cavanagh converting a 13 metre free, and by the 14th minute, the Red Hands were 1-3 to 0-1 ahead.

Dan Gordon added to Ronan Sexton's opening Down point, but Tyrone turned the screw again in the 17th minute when Sean Cavanagh rescued a ball from the end line and cut inside to slide the ball past Brendan McVeigh.

They could have had a couple more goals, but Penrose was denied by McVeigh and substitute Kevin Hughes smashed a shot into the crossbar.

But the loss of midfielder Enda McGinley due to injury after 15 minutes coincided with a Down revival. The home side scored just once in the second quarter, while Down began find some self-belief.

Gordon's punched goal was disallowed for a square ball infringement, but they did get a goal in the 34th minute when Gordon and Paul Murphy combined for Benny Coulter to net with the help of a deflection.

Tyrone led by 2-4 to 1-3 at the break, but substitute Ambrose Rodgers then punched a Down goal 15 minutes into the second half.

Kevin Hughes shot what looked to be the winner two minutes from the end, but there was still time for McComiskey to convert an equalising free in stoppage time

Tyrone: P McConnell, R McMenamin, Justin McMahon, D McCaul, D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan, C Holmes, S Cavanagh (1-2), B Dooher (0-1), B McGuigan, E McGinley, M Penrose (0-1), C Cavanagh (0-1, free), C McCullagh (1-2). Subs: K Hughes (0-1) for McGinley, D Carlin for Harte, M McGee for McCaul, T McGuigan for C Cavanagh, N Gormley for B McGuigan, Joe McMahon for Homles

Down: B McVeigh, L Howard, M Cole, C Murney, A Carr, L Doyle (0-2, 2 frees), D Rafferty, D Gordon (0-2), J Lynch, J Fegan, R Murtagh, D Hughes, J Clarke, R Sexton (0-1), B Coulter (1-0). Subs: P Murphy (0-1) for Murney, K McKernan for Fegan, A Rodgers (1-1) for Lynch, P McComiskey (0-1, free) for Clarke