Rare is the draw that someone doesn’t walk away from happy. Or at the very least relieved to be given another chance. Yet here was a game where the overriding feeling on both sides was regret that getting a second shot came with the price of giving the other crowd one as well.

"It feels like a defeat," said Mickey Harte. "Because when we got the second goal it certainly looked like we were capable of winning the game. You could never have anticipated that we would lose sight of the scoreboard as much as we did after that. But we did.

“We probably could have been further ahead at half-time, but I think we were comfortable enough,” the Tyrone manager said.

“It didn’t look like Down had the capacity to get the number of scores they ended up with, but just when it seemed like the game was in our control with the second goal, we seemed to switch off. And I don’t understand how that happened.

“Down’s changes worked for them – they changed the whole dynamic of their team. They were a much more potent force in the second half. They worked very well and brought them right back into the game. We were lucky to get away by the skin of our teeth there, because if the third point had gone over I don’t think we’d be talking about a replay.”

Advantage rule
The inconsistent application of the rules by referee David Coldrick clearly irked Harte on a number of counts.

The issuing of a black card to Niall Morgan in the second half after Conor Maginn escaped one in the first was one such example . The distinct lack of an advantage rule after a spring campaign of getting used to it was another.

“Someone needs to tell us here what’s going on, because the rules that were applied today did not remotely resemble the rules we played to in the National League and McKenna Cup.

“I wouldn’t complain if the advantage rule was going to prevail all the while, but we go out next week and I don’t know which set of rules we live by. It’s going to take 10 or 15 minutes to adjust to what the rules are on a particular day.”

Motivation
James McCartan wouldn't be drawn on the officiating. This was a game Down had lost, had won and ended up having to settle for a draw. An odd day all round.

“Look, we’re delighted with the second-half performance. We were poor in the first half – disappointed. We asked the boys very politely if they could step up at half-time.

“We probably tried to change the style of the game that we were playing and we introduced people appropriate for that style of play. At half-time we would have taken a draw all day long. Our boys will not need any motivation for next Saturday night.”

Donal O’Hare’s missed free in the 69th minute perhaps let Tyrone off the hook. But McCartan had no wish to haul the player over the coals.

“Look, Donal O’Hare has been the mainstay of our attack for the last two years, and only for him we might be playing in a lower division than we are now. If the pressure kick comes on next Saturday night he’ll be the man stepping up. Whether it would have proved to be the winning of the game remains to be seen.

“I’ll have no problem getting the boys motivated for next Saturday night, men. Ulster championship, 18,000 to 20,000 people in Newry? Newry’s going to be rocking and we haven’t seen that too often. So bring it on.”