The big scare was all too familiar for Donegal manager Declan Bonner who had encountered it all before as a player against Antrim only 12 months ago.

Not unnaturally his thoughts were divided on the outcome. "I am happy to get out of Casement Park but not with our performance. We obviously have plenty of work to do over the next few weeks.

"Maybe it was as much a case of no matter what I said to the players about being wary of Antrim, it never got home. We will have to improve a lot on that performance if were are to do the business against either Cavan or Fermanagh."

Bonner was thinking aloud in trying to convince himself that everything will fall into place with the return of some key players. "JJ Doherty was missed today, John Duffy is coming back to train, so is James Ruane and James McHugh is back training.

"We got the goal early on and that was a turning point, but we never built on that goal the way we should have and that for me was the disappointing aspect of the game. We hadn't got a recognised midfield partnership out there and this created another problem for us.

"James Ruane is getting back to fitness so he will give us another midfield option the next day."

Man of the match, Antrim's captain Ciaran O'Neill, accepted the award with reluctance. "I have, and always will be, a team man. We have quality players in Antrim and success cannot be much further away.

"I certainly would have preferred to have been on a winning Antrim team today than to be given any individual award. We were forced into playing catch-up football today. I know we can do better, if we could only get together for longer spells in preparation."

Antrim manager Ray McDonnell was convinced that the Donegal goal should not have been given saying he felt the scorer was clearly inside the small square before he received the ball.

"It's not sour grapes, I wish Donegal all the best but that goal cost us today. I am very pleased with my team's performance. There was never any question of any of our players giving up. Nobody who plays for me gives up before its over," he said.

He compared his position with that of Declan Bonner. "I have been up against it by not having a full squad in training for more than four weeks. Players have walked away from it because the going was too hard and other players have been tied up with exams.

"Sometimes I have to coax players onto the panel but I can see that progress has been made and I will stick with this team."