ALL eight senior intercounty hurling teams in Ulster were on display on a busy day of action in the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher tournaments.
In Round 2A of the Christy Ring Cup, Antrim finished strongly against Roscommon to run out 2-14 to 1-12 victors at Dunloy. The Saffrons were four points in arrrears with 47 minutes gone (1-11 to 0-10) but goals from Conor Carson and Nigel Elliott secured their safe passage to the semi-finals.
In a Round 2B clash, Down dominated the latter stages against Derry to earn a 1-18 to 1-15 victory. Oisin McCloskey's goal helped Derry to a 1-7 to 0-9 lead at the break but Down scored six of the last eight points to deny Tom McLean's side a first competitive win of the season.
There wasn't much luck for Ulster sides in the Nicky Rackard Cup, with only Ardal McDermott's Donegal recording a victory - and that was at Fermanagh's expense.
Donegal's Justin McGhee was sent off for a second yellow on the cusp of half-time as Fermanagh opened up a slender lead at the break (1-9 to 2-5). McDermott's men eventually ran out 3-15 to 3-11 victors, with Sean McVeigh, Kevin Campbell and Ciaran Mathewson all finding the net in Donegal's first win this year.
In the other Round 2B match, Kevin Ryan's Tyrone had no such luck, losing a pulsating contest against Longford by 4-18 to 3-17.
In Round 2A Armagh came up short against Mayo, losing out by 0-22 to 1-11. The Westerners led from start to finish, reeling off three points without reply after Ryan Gaffney goaled for Armagh in the first half.
Monaghan, meanwhile, came out on the wrong side of a high-scoring encounter against Fingal, losing out by 2-19 to 3-14. The north Dublin side led 2-8 to 1-9 at the break and held out for victory despite conceding two Deaglan Crowe goals in the second-half.
In today's other matches, Kildare eased to victory against Wicklow in the Christy Ring Cup (0-17 to 0-9), while Louth accounted for Warwickshire (3-12 to 2-20) and Leitrim earned a 2-18 to 2-10 win over Lancashire in the Lory Meagher competition.