Christy Ring Cup: Down and Meath draw in semi-final at Trim

Down and Meath will have to do it all again in the Christy Ring Cup semi-final after a 2-22 to 1-25 draw after extra-time at Trim.

Down led by five points three minutes into the second half of normal time but Cillian Farrell's side stormed back with Stephen Clynch finishing on 0-16.

Paul Braniff hit two first-half goals for Down and finished with 2-5.

Down didn't trail at any stage in normal time but Clynch's haul helped Meath force the 20 extra minutes.

Down led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter, with Braniff, Danny Toner and Donal Hughes claiming scores.

However, a Peter Durnin goal brought Meath into contention but Braniff netted for the second time in the 27th minute as Down took a 2-11 to 1-9 interval lead.

The sides were well matched in the opening nine minutes after the restart but Meath suddenly took control as the hosts fired four points without reply in a five-minute spell to cut the gap to the minimum.

Conor Woods claimed some well struck points from distance, including one from over 90 yards to keep Down on top.

A goal separated the sides following a 65th-minute Braniff point but Meath claimed three unanswered scores, including two from Clynch, to force extra-time.

Meath outscored Down by three points to one in the first period of extra-time, with Donal Hughes notching the Mourne County score.

Down upped their game on the restart with some good performances from Braniff, Gareth Johnson and Woods to snatch a lead, but Clynch was again composed to force a replay at the death.

Kerry await the winners in the final, after the Kingdom claimed a 1-14 to 0-9 win over Kildare at Tralee.

Christy Ring Cup semi-finals

Meath 1-25 2-22 Down (aet)

Kerry 1-14 0-11 Kildare

Nicky Rackard Cup semi-finals

Donegal 5-12 2-09 Monaghan

Roscommon 3-28 0-14 Tyrone