Down's Ross Carr was renowned for coolness under pressure back when he played on one of the most sumptuous forward units of the modern game. And yesterday he stood on the field after his managerial debut discussing the match like a wine connoisseur analysing a so-so vintage.

"We didn't win because we didn't take enough chances. In championship, you get enough chances within a period of supremacy and you have to take them or else you pay for it.

"We have a decent midfield, a good forward line and a defence that at times works hard as a unit. But we have to put more pressure on the ball out the field. Standing on the sideline, Cavan had chances in the first half and shot from maybe not the most sensible of areas. And I think we had only one shot on the goal for 14 minutes which wasn't good either."

It was a tantalising day for Carr. He came tantalisingly close to what would have been a perfect championship debut. Down looked vulnerable at times but when they attacked, it was with the swagger of a team who fancied their chances of nailing a goal whenever they pleased.

And then, when it mattered, they tacked on two great points from Ronan Murtagh and Paul McComiskey to give them a three-point advantage as time ran out.

"I was a wee bit concerned," mused Carr. "Because with our lead when you go three points clear, I think there is always the chance that somehow it goes into the subconscious of the players that the game is over, the clock goes up to announce a couple of minutes left.

"But it is only one score. While we were three up, we had a couple of chances go to go four and five points up. So I suppose when you get a draw with the last kick of the game, you have to be happy."

In the tunnel, Dermot McCabe expressed his own relief. The big Gowna man made light work of the free which so nearly won the day for Cavan. Another veteran of that decade old Ulster title, McCabe has weathered through some lean years since.

"In years gone by we conceded two early goals and were five or 10 points down at half-time and lost by a big margin. So it is tremendous for us to come back from that and still be in the game. We were down and out. We had a score at the end and maybe should have tried to kill the ball but Down are no bad team. We did well in patches and our aim has to be to extend on that.

"Benny Coulter will cause problems to any corner back in the country and another thing we are going to have to work on is on trying to stop the quality of ball going into to him."

McCabe beamed at the thought of going up to Newry on Sunday. "I doubt there are too many easy championship wins got up there."

Carr looked bemused at the notion that the Marshes gave Down any advantage. "I don't see how it would be. We haven't played in Newry for years."