Mickey Linden may be in his 20th season at senior inter-county level, but it seems he is still indispensable to Down football. The Mayobridge veteran came into Sunday's game as his young colleagues floundered in the Newry mud against a determined Tipperary team.

Table-topping Down looked booked for their first defeat of the season, flattered to be only 0-5 to 0-6 in arrears at half-time to a much livelier Tipp side which was making nonsense of their previous fine league form.

But in the space of 10 eventful minutes midway through the second half, Linden turned this game around, scoring a point himself and providing the key passes for a goal from Shane Ward and further points from Michael Walsh and Shane Mulholland which served to put Down into a 1-9 to 0-6 lead, a travesty given the play over the first 55 minutes of this match.

But some justice was done in the end. Frees from Peter Lambert and James Williams gave Tipp heart, and they finally got the break they deserved when the lofty Eamon Hanrahan caused enough consternation in the Down goalmouth to allow Tommy Connors scoop the ball to the net.

Hanrahan brought Tipp to 1-9 to 1-10 and the equaliser duly materialised in the 70th minute - Peter Lambert giving Williams the chance to tap over the point with the last kick of the game.

DOWN: P Travers; P McConville, C Byrne, B Grant; M McMurray (0-1), P Shields, S Poland; L Doyle, A Molloy; C Daly (0-4), M Walsh (0-1), B Coulter; S Mulholland (0-1), PP McCartan, S Ward (1-2). Subs: M Linden (0-1) for PP McCartan; B Kearney for P McConville; E Magee for S Poland; R Murtagh for S Ward.

TIPPERARY: P Ryan; C O'Dwyer, D Byrne, L Cronin; N Kelly, S Collum, G McCarthy; K Maguire, S Maher; P Morrissey, S McDermott, T Connors (1- 1); P Lambert (0-5), E Hanrahan (0-1), J Williams (0-3). Sub: J Shanahan for P Morrissey.

Referee: A Higgins (Antrim).