20 March 2011
Antrim dropped to the bottom of the Allianz National Football League Division 2 league table when they were well beaten by a slick moving Sligo side at Casement Park on Sunday.
As has been the case all season Antrim made a very slow start and poor defence saw Sligo full forward Eamon O’Hara get in for a simple goal to give his team a 1-2 to 0—0 lead.
Antrim did have their chances in front of goal on a few occasions in the opening half but over elaboration cost them dearly, but Paddy Cunningham started to pick off the points and they went in at the break trailing by 1-9 to 0-6.
The second-half started with Sligo again taking control and when Brian Curran grabbed the visitors second goal Antrim looked like sinking without trace.
To their credit they showed a bit of character and boosted by an excellent goal by substitute Thomas McCann they began to claw their way back into the game.
Points from Brendan Herron, Paddy Cunningham and Kevin Brady saw them close to within three, with more than fifteen minutes left for play, but Sligo upped the tempo again in the final quarter and hit some superb scores to pull ten clear by the final whistle, a result which sees them leapfrog Antrim in the league table.
Mathematically Antrim can still survive, but with tough finishing games against table toppers Donegal (away) and Derry (home) it is going to take a monumental effort to maintain their Division 2 status.
ANTRIM: S O’Neill; A Healy, C Brady, K OBoyle; T Scullion, J Crozier, T O’Neill; K McGourty, S Burke; A Gallagher, K Brady (0-2), C Murray; P Cunningham (0-7, 5f), M Sweeney, B Herron. Subs: K Niblock (0-1) for Sweeney (33 mins), T McCann (1-0) for Burke (33 mins), A Douglas for O’Boyle (40 mins), M Armstrong for Murray (62 mins), R Johnston for O’Neill (64 mins).
SLIGO: J Farrell; C Harrison, N Ewing, R Donovan; K Cawley, P McGovern; T Taylor (0-1), S Gilmartin (0-1, 45); B Curran (1-2), M Breheny (0-6), S Davey (0-1); A Marren (0-4, 2f), E OHara (1-1), K Sweeney. Subs: A Costello (0-1) for Sweeney (16 mins), B Maye (0-1) for Marren (71 mins).
Referee : M Sludden (Tyrone).