It doesn't seem fair or logical that Antrim is still without a championship win after 16 seasons, especially when they can produce such levels of resistance. Frustration over those fruitless seasons can hardly have been so agonisingly apparent as it was in Casement Park yesterday.

The fates frowned on them shortly before this Ulster senior football championship game and again three minutes into it when Donegal secured a goal under seemingly dubious circumstances.

Their staunch centre back Gerry McCrudden sustained a groin injury in a warm-up kick-about before the game. His absence caused a major reshuffle with attack leader Paul McErlean having to drop back.

The goal, which Donegal manager

Declan Bonner admits to being a match saver for his depleted forces was nicely taken by corner forward Brendan Devenny. But was the Donegal man inside the square to the left of Donard Shannon's posts before slotting the ball home?

Antrim had barely time to understand that their worst fears had been realised when they dropped a further two points into arrears in less than four minutes' play.

It was the worst possible start for the underdogs but they rose to the challenge inspired by their brilliant captain and midfielder Ciaran O'Neill.

O'Neill was the chief reason for the inconsistent Donegal central challenge and the tall Erin's Own man duly walked off with the player-of-the-match award.

Donegal failed to impress without a number of key players. They struggled and badly needed the five-star performances provided by Adrian Sweeney and John Gildea in a mildly competitive attack that was so well policed by Antrim's eager and alert backs.

The Donegal midfield blew hot and cold even though Jim McGuinness caught the eye. Barry McGowan joined him in the sector from the start, with Noel Hegarty moving to attack but managing to cover acres of space.

The Donegal close-passing gambit was always apparent but too often they made mistakes and lost possession by the half-way line. A more direct route to goal was not always an option with only two forwards up for most of the time.

Antrim's confidence was damaged by their unfortunate start and they did not manage a shot until the ninth minute when Kevin Madden was short. Top scorer John McManus got them off the mark in the 14th minute.

Antrim soon began to recover confidence. They contrived an unexpected share of possession and the pressures mounted for the Donegal defence, so much so, that petty fouling was resorted to in the overworked winners' defence.

Had Antrim's general approach been matched in the last third of the pitch they could have been in front by half time. Instead Donegal were relieved to be three points ahead (14 to 0-4) with wind advantage. Antrim came out with all guns blazing in the second half and were robbed of an early goal when McGuinness, under pressure, lost possession on his goal line. Luckily for the visitors, the ever vigilant Noel Hegarty was on hand to take the ball off the line for a relieving clearance.

A sterling display at centre half back by Martin Coll was something that Donegal needed. They were never let off the hook as Antrim, to a man responded to their manager Ray McDonnell's half-time call: "Sweat blood on those jerseys if need be."

But it was the more wily Donegal who got crucial early third-quarter points to open a six-point gap. Antrim stormed back and in the 10th minute of the half John McManus pointed a 45 to spark off a great home spell that saw Donegal's advantage whittled down to two points (1-7 to 0-8) after 21 minutes.

Tony Boyle earned his keep at this stage after Hegarty restored the three-point advantage with an inspiring point. It was only fitting that Hegarty and Boyle combined in a neat one-two move for Boyle to hit the best point of the game, Donegal's last. But it was McManus with two points who had the final say on the scoreboard, moments before a somewhat disillusioned Donegal team heard the best sound of the day, the referee's final blast.