It was a game that the holders appeared to have by the scruff of the neck by the end of the opening quarter as they had built up a seven point lead but they were to add only another five scores in the remainder of the game as Ross Carr's charges came storming back.
There's no doubt though that Tyrone could have had this game dead and buried by the short whistle had they taken at least three good goal opportunities that came their way but they allowed Down to get a toe in the door and the Red Hands were almost made to pay dearly.
Down came out for the second half a different side and substitutes Paul Murphy, Ambrose Rogers and Paul McComiskey all played a major part in their revival as they landed a goal and three points between them.
It was Down who grabbed the momentum in the closing stages with Rodgers palming home a goal nine minutes from time to put his side in front for the first time in the contest. Tyrone were on the ropes but their experience came to the fore with team captain Brian Dooher firing over a fabulous equaliser before Kevin Hughes put them in front.
Down though refused to throw in the towel with McComiskey giving them a deserved second bite at the cherry with a late equaliser from a placed ball. Indeed the visitors perhaps could have sneaked a win but for an outstanding piece of defending from substitute Mickey McGee as he somehow won a crucial ball ahead of the dangerous McComiskey. It was a game that may have been strewn with errors on both sides but the closeness of the contest kept the large crowd on the edge of their seats and certainly none of the players on view could be faltered for their commitment and endeavour in energy sapping conditions.

Defence

Justin McMahon played well on Down danger man Benny Coulter with Damien McCaul, Conor Gormley and Philip Jordan all doing their bit in a defence that limited the Mourne starting attack to a meagre two scores over the course of the game.
The loss of Enda McGinley through concussion in the first half was a big blow to Tyrone's hopes and they had to take Sean Cavanagh out to this sector in the second half as Dan Gordon had taken a stranglehold on proceedings.
Brian Dooher once again covered every blade of grass on the field in his first appearance of the season for the Red Hands while Martin Penrose and Colm McCullagh both showed up well in attack as well, particularly in the first half. It's all to play for again at Pairc Esler this Saturday evening with the scales perhaps tipped in favour of the home side especially if, as expected, Enda McGinley doesn't feature.

Switches

As anticipated Tyrone made positional switches prior to throw in with Sean Cavanagh going to the edge of the square, Colm Cavanagh to the half forward line and Enda McGinley to midfield. Tyrone almost got off to a dream start when a McCullagh "45" broke to Penrose whose snap shot went just the wrong side of the left hand post. When the first score did arrive it was worth waiting for as Dooher, Penrose and Brian McGuigan combined for the latter to instinctively fist the ball inside for McCullagh to race onto and smash an unstoppable shot to the roof of the Down net. By the end of the opening quarter of an hour McCullagh had added two well taken points as Tyrone led 1-3 to 0-2, Ronan Sexton and Gordon on target for Down.
In the 18th minute Tyrone struck for their second major when Penrose brilliantly flicked the ball up to Sean Cavanagh who cut in along the end line before dummying keeper Brendan McVeigh and finishing to the net with his left boot.
Liam Doyle responded with a point from a Down free before Colm Cavanagh elected to fist a point when a goal was on the cards. Seven points divided the teams and it could have been more with Penrose denied by McVeigh when in the clear before substitute Kevin Hughes blasted against the crossbar.
The woodwork then came to Tyrone's rescue when John Clarke's effort came off the bar while Gordon had a goal chalked off for square ball as Down sensed that they were still in the game. In the final minute of the half the visitors struck for a goal when Coulter's shot hit the post and was saved on the line by McCaul but unfortunately it hit off McMahon and crossed the line to leave it 2-4 to 1-3 at the break.

Impact subs

It took Tyrone twelve minutes to get off the mark in the second half when Penrose demonstrated an electrifying burst of speed to race through and fist over.
By that stage Doyle had knocked over another free and with Down's replacements all starting to make an impact it was clear that the tide was turning. Gordon and Murphy both landed points before unselfish play from Coulter saw him square the ball for Rodgers to palm home from close range for a 2-6 to 2-5 lead with fifty minutes played. Tyrone hit back with a well taken Sean Cavanagh point from the left wing following a trademark dummy. It was all to play for and Down were fortunate not to be reduced to fourteen men when defender Martin Cole swung an elbow at Davy Harte which forced the Errigal Ciaran man out of the action. As the excitement grew Rodgers and Dooher traded scores before Hughes put Tyrone in front. In the final minute though McComiskey levelled matters from a thirteen metre free to leave it all up for grabs this weekend again.