If the invite to the second chance saloon for losers in the first round of the respective provincial football championships held the promise of some nectar, it may yet have a bitter taste for some of the protagonists. Certainly, Down and Armagh wouldn't have chosen such an intense local derby for their re-entry into the championship - and, for good measure, Down, despite being first out of the hat in last night's draw in the RTE studios in Donnybrook, have had to forfeit home advantage for their losers' group encounter with last year's Ulster champions. The game will form the second part of a double header that will also see Antrim and Leitrim meet at Casement Park.

Although Down were first out of the hat, they have had to give up their home advantage. "It simply wouldn't have been feasible to arrange an all-ticket match for Newry in such a short time," said Padraic Duffy of the GAC. While the Down-Armagh match, which has a 6.15 p.m. throw-in, is the juiciest of the ties in the open draw for losing teams, there are a couple of other appetising fixtures. Westmeath, so unlucky to lose to Meath in their Leinster quarter-final yesterday, must undertake a trip to Wexford if they are to prolong their championship interests this summer.

Meanwhile, Louth, who were arguably the biggest victims of the foot-and-mouth outbreak, and lost a first-round match in Leinster to Longford, are involved in one of three inter-provincial games. Louth have been drawn away against Tipperary in Clonmel on Saturday afternoon.

Ulster MFC/First round