Eamonn Burns cut a relieved figure after Down ended a 21-month wait for a victory when pipping Derry in the Dr McKenna Cup yesterday.

The relief was palpable all around Pairc Esler after the Mournemen secured their first win since April 2015.

"You like to win obviously," the Down manager said in the Irish News.

"Last year was a very tough year for us so we set our stall out this year and brought in a couple of fresh faces and that has helped the whole thing. I was happy with the way our fellas performed.

"We have had a quite young and inexperienced panel out there over the last two weekends so we're happy to get over the line. Cathal Magee had the flu during the week so that's why he didn't play, but the ohter lads we've brought into the panel - Alan Davidson, Shay Millar and Ryan McAleenan - all played well and that bodes well for the future."

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