IN THEIR first meeting since the 1993 All-Ireland final, Derry and Cork played out an entertaining draw at Celtic Park yesterday. The game, played in almost perfect conditions, saw Derry field only two of their All-Ireland winning side.

Cork opened the brighter and by the ninth minute had opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead; Padraic O'Mahony, Ciaran O'Sullivan and Colin Corkery scoring for Cork, Derry's reply coming from Gary Coleman.

However, before the close of the opening quarter, Derry had taken the lead thanks to points from Roan Rocks (2) and Rory Boylan.

Derry had two close escapes soon afterwards, Jonathan Kelly saving marvellously from Liam Honahan and Aidan Dorgan hitting the crossbar.

It was a case of third-time lucky in the 23rd minute when Cork eventually found the net. Corkery, who had earlier missed several clear-cut chances, held off Kevin Bryson and as Kelly advanced a clever dummy left the big Cork forward with an open goal which he gleefully accepted.

Ronan Rocks reduced the leeway to leave Cork 1-3 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

Derry opened the second half in fine fashion and points from Rocks (2) and Gary McGill had Derry two points ahead. Then a brace of Corkery points matched efforts from Derry's Boylan and Joe Brolly, a second-half substitute.

Three further Corkery scores gave Cork the advantage with two minutes remaining, but Boylan's third-point of the game levelled matters for Derry. In injury-time, O'Sullivan for Cork and McGill for Derry traded points to leave each side with a share of the spoils.