Down suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Armagh last weekend.

The locals were forced to travel with just the bare eleven and were missing Alasdair Duff, Sinclair White and James Erskine, three players who would have made a significant difference.

Skipper Jeremy McCready had to reshuffle his pack, playing Philip and Gary Brown, Liam Kearney and Gavin Ringland across the back, with Paul Tate and Chris Taylor asked to do the donkey work in the middle of the park, with Mark Elliott leading the line.

Down knew they were going to be up against it, but they took the lead straight from the hit-off through Elliott. Taylor fed the striker who made no mistake and while Armagh came back into the game, Elliott went close to giving the visitors a 2-0 lead which could have proved decisive.

Former Down player Mick McKimm was at the heart of everything the home side did. McKimm weighed in with four goals and had a major hand in his side's other three.

McKimm played a key role in his side’s equaliser from a short corner with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, but at this stage the visitors could have been three or four goals to the good. Elliott again went close while Taylor squandered a few scoring opportunities. The Armagh ‘keeper also played his part in keeping his side in the game.

McKimm’s equaliser certainly settled Armagh and with Down looking to go into the break on level terms they found themselves 2-1 in arrears when the whistle eventually went.

Armagh's first goal came after McKimm’s shot was saved by McCready. When the ball broke to an Armagh player outside the penalty area he drilled it back again and it cannoned off McKimm’s stick into the net.

With just 10 seconds until the break, Armagh made it 2-1. This time McCready was unluckily beaten again. He made an initial save after the ball ricocheted off Ringland’s stick, but it broke to an unmarked forward who scored.

Down were keen to keep things tight at the back and in the middle of the park in the second period, but things didn’t work out. Armagh scored three more goals from play to lead 5-1 and there was no way back for the visitors.

Elliott scored his second of the game to make it 5-2 after some good build-up play involving Tate and Taylor. The Down striker scored from just inside the penalty area after unleashing a terrific shot which gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Ringland then produced a trademark short corner rocket strike to make it 5-3 and there was a tiny glimmer of a comeback before McKimm produced a little bit of magic for his side's sixth goal.

His initial shot from a short corner was saved, but he flicked the ball over McCready’s head to an unmarked forward at the back post who prodded the ball home.

Armagh's seventh goal came from the penalty spot after Tate fouled an opponent running out to defend a short corner. McCready could do nothing about the set piece, with the goal sealing an emphatic goal for the home side.