Unbeaten Down came from behind at the death to see off a gutsy Antrim side in their Division 3 clash at Páirc Esler in Newry.
In a frenzied finish, Pat Havern and Andrew Gilmore held their nerve in front of a noisy crowd to point the winning scores after substitute Conor Poland scrambled home in the 69th minute to level.
Truth be told, Andy McEntee's side deserved something from the game and looked to have done enough for their first points of the campaign with replacement Dominic McEnhill scoring three second-half points off the bench.
However, Down, although frustrated and disjointed, never relented and came good in the hectic finale.
Bar a big knock that saw right half back Dermot McAleese go off after six minutes, Antrim were enjoying the early exchanges and were much the sharper team in Newry to begin with.
Both Ruairí McCann’s found the range and a long distance effort from centre-back Joseph Finnegan had the Saffron’s deservedly two points ahead.
Conor Laverty selected four changes from last weekend's win, pivotally Laverty chose his fellow club man Niall Kane in goals.
The Kilcoo net-minder returned to the team for the first time this season to slot over a 45’, but Down were still chugging along.
Another change from last Saturday night saw Andrew Gilmore rewarded for a good showing off the bench in Tipperary and the St John’s clubman curled over a nice point and the sides were soon level.
After Down notched three scores in a row, McCann was left alone at the edge of the square, and the big full forward duly side stepped Kane to tap home.
It was no more than they deserved.
This Down era, so far, has been defined by a willingness to go for goals. Liam Kerr went for the jugular earlier in the half, but it was Gilmore that finished off another quick hand passing move as Laverty’s Down looked to take off.
Again, the Mourne men were met by an Antrim side in no mood to be pushed aside.
Having struck two points in the half already, Conor Stewart’s effort looked over, but it clipped the post and came back down to McCann. With his eyes on the support runners, the Aghagallon man deceived the Down defenders and goalkeeper Kane to walk in his second goal to an empty net.
In the run into half time, Mourne midfielder Odhran Murdock fired over a brace to settle his side after they lost key attacker Barry O’Hagan to a nasty looking ankle injury.
That marred the end of what was, a lively first half, that saw Antrim go in 2-08 to 1-09 in front.
The hosts were level within a minute of the restart.
Kerr and Pat Havern boomed over but still they couldn’t shake Antrim.
The Saffrons quickly resumed their goal advantage with three in a row, Michael Byrne came up to score a 45’, Ryan Murray with his second and the hugely impressive McEnhill with a mark.
From that point on, the sides went point for point with Antrim all the while ahead by the goal or sometimes four points in front only for it all to become undone in the astonishing Down finale.
Down: Niall Kane (0-01, 0-0145) ; Pierce Laverty, Ryan McEvoy, Paddy McCarthy; Conor Francis, Ryan Magill, Míceal Rooney; Niall Donnelly, Odhran Murdock (0-03); Ceilum Doherty, Donagh McAleenan, Liam Kerr (0-03); Andrew Gilmore (1-04, 0-02f), Pat Havern (0-02), Barry O’Hagan (0-03, 0-01f).
Subs: Eamon Brown (0-01) for O’Hagan (39), Mark Walsh for Doherty (45), Shay Miller (0-01) for Rooney (48), Conor Poland (1-00) for Donnelly (48).
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-02, 0-01’45, 0-01f); Peter Healy, Declan Lynch, James McAuley (0-01); Dermot McAleese, Joseph Finnegan (0-01), Marc Jordan; Kevin Small, Conor Stewart (0-03); Patrick Finnegan (0-02), Adam Loughran (0-01), Ruairí McCann (0-01, 0-01f); Ryan Murray (0-02, 0-01f), Ruairí McCann (Aghagallon, 2-01, 0-01m), Pat Shivers.
Subs: Seán O’Neill for McAleese (6), Dominic McEnhill (0-03) for Shivers (32), Colm McLarnon for Small (ht), Odhran Eastwood for Murray (57), Patrick McCormick for Healy (62).
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)
