15 March 2009
Antrim footballers kept their promotion prospects on target with a big win over a poor Carlow outfit at Dr Cullen Park today.
While the result was never in doubt after a blistering opening 15 minutes when Antrim raced into a 9 point lead, this was probably as poor an opposition Antrim will face this season, apart from Kilkenny.
The straight red card for Carlow’s centre forward Derek Hayden at the beginning of the second half certainly didn’t help their attempts to drag themselves back into this game but for much of this match Antrim were cruising. Frustratingly for the few travelling supporters, there did not seem to be any great urgency to improve their score difference, something they might well rue at the end of this league campaign.
Conditions were almost perfect in the spring sunshine apart from a blustery breeze and if anything it did favour the Saffrons in the first half. They certainly took advantage of this with early ball delivered into the full forward line that created mayhem in the porous Carlow defence. Kevin Brady was the architect-in-chief setting up Mark Dougan for 2 goals with Conor McGourty adding a third. Although Brady didn’t get himself onto the score-sheet, he was giving his marker Vinny Kavanagh a torrid time creating space for both the full and half forwards to all grab scores. Tomas McCann was particularly influential in the opening quarter nicking 2 points including one from the 45.
Having raced into what seemed to be an unassailable 9 point lead, Antrim failed to turn complete domination of every sector of the field to extend this advantage. Instead Carlow, despite 4 first half wides gradually began to pick off points. Mark Dougan had another goal bound shot blocked inside the small square and Conor McGourty missed from a crazy angle that he does occasionally hit the target from. The Glensmen did manage further points from Kevin McQuillan and Michael McCann to lead by 3.07 to 0.08 at half time.
The second half began much in the same way as the first with Antrim dominating the opening exchanges. However, poor finishing and another 3 wides failed to trouble the score-board and in fact it was Carlow who scored the first point in the second period. Much to Antrim manager Liam Bradley’s frustration, Antrim were playing laterally and inevitably gave away far too much possession but again Carlow’s shooting was woeful with a further 5 wides in the second half. Once Carlow’s most influential player Hayden received his marching orders for questioning the referee’s eyesight in a none too decorous manner, the game degenerated into little more than a poor training match.
Mark Dougan did grab another goal and a point but worryingly for Antrim panic was again evident when defending inside their own 45. Colin Brady did concede a penalty which was converted by Carlow mid-fielder John Murphy, but the game was way beyond their reach at this stage. Amazingly Offaly referee Damian Brazil gave the home side another penalty despite the fact that the player fouled was as close to the large square in Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park as to the Antrim square in Dr Cullen Park. However, veteran goal-keeper Sean McGreevy saw that this injustice went unrewarded with a brilliant save. Antrim’s McGourty bagged the last point for Antrim to seal comprehensive 4.14 to 1.11 win.
Next up for Antrim is London in Casement Park on Saturday evening and they will undoubtedly have taken cognisance of the Exiles one point win over Waterford this weekend. Leitrim’s 2 point win over Wicklow means that promotion essentially is still possible for Sligo, Leitrim and Antrim. Provided the Glensmen make no mistakes next weekend, the game with Sligo in a couple of weeks will probably be a league decider.
However, those defensive frailties may yet prove to be their undoing and it would seem that they do miss the presence of Andy McLean and Sean Kelly to provide confidence in this sector.
Antrim
1.Sean McGreevy 2.Colin Brady 3.Sean McVeigh 4.Kevin O’Boyle 5.Tony Scullion 6.Declan O’Hagan 7.Justin Crozier (0.01) 8.Michael McCann (0.01) 9.Aodhan Gallagher (0.01) 10.James Loughery (0.01) 11.Tomas McCann (0.02 – 1 45) 12.Kevin McQuillan (0.01) 13.Conor McGourty (1.04 – F2) 14.Mark Dougan (3.01) 15.Kevin Brady
Subs: P. Carey for Loughery (inj), D. Edwards (0.01) for M. McCann, M. Pollock (0.01) for McQuillan, A. Douglas for C. Brady, P. Cunningham for K. Brady
Carlow
1.James Clarke 2.Kieran Nolan 3.Shane Redmond 4.Vinny Kavanagh 5.John Hayden 6.Liam Murphy 7.Evan Doyle 8.David Phelan (0.01) 9.John Murphy (1.01) 10.Ray Walker (0.02) 11. Derek Hayden (0.03 – F3) 12.Mark Carpenter (0.01 – F1) 13.Brian Murphy (0.01) 14.Wille Minchin 15.J.J. Smith
Subs: E. McCormick (0.02) for Smith (Yellow Card), A. Curran for S. Redmond, D. Molloy for R. Walker, S. Rea for McCormick (Yellow Card)
