16 May 2011
Antrim failed to reproduce the heroics of two years ago when they were well beaten by Donegal in the opening round of the Ulster Senior Football Championship in Ballybofey. Two seasons ago the Saffrons had travelled to the same venue and pulled off a real shock when they beat home side to begin a run which took them all the way to the Ulster final, but on Sunday last they came up short in what was overall a poor game.
Donegal bossed possession for most of the game but their over elaboration cost them dearly at times and at half-time Antrim trailed by just three points on a scoreline of 0-6 to 0-3.
All three Antrim points in that opening period came from frees as the Antrim forward line struggled to create any clearut chances, but when they resumed with an excellent Tomas McCann point from play inside the opening minute of the second-half the Antrim fans must have hoped for better.
However Donegal’s blanket defence proved hard to break down as the scoring dried up. A hard working Antrim defence did manage to hold the Donegal attack reasonably well but with the scores not coming at the other end the game gradually edged away from the Saffrons.
To their credit they kept battling away and Tomas McCann, Mark Dougan and Kevin Niblock cut a seven point deficit back to four with still five minutes left for play. It looked certain to be cut back to three when Dougan was hauled down going through on goal, but match referee Maurice Deegan amazingly gave the free the other way, and in the melee which followed Dougan reacted foolishly and received a straight red card.
With a man advantage Donegal took advantage and in injury time grabbed the only goal of the game to seal a deserved win by a six point margin.
DONEGAL: 1. P Durcan; 5. F McGlynn, 3. N McGee, 4. P McGrath; 7. A Thompson, 2. K Lacey, 6. K Cassidy; 8. R Kavanagh, 9. M McElhinney; 10. M McHugh (1-1), 11. D Molloy (0-1), 12. R Bradley (0-2); 13. A Hanlon (0-1), 14. M Murphy (capt; 0-3, frees), 15. C McFadden (0-2, one free). Subs: 17. M Boyle for Thompson (20 mins), 23. M Hegarty for Molloy (53 mins), 27. P McBrearty for Hanlon (53 mins), 22. K Rafferty for McElhinney (57 mins), 24. D McLaughlin for Bradley (66 mins). Yellow cards: McElhinney (8 mins), Murphy (18 mins).
ANTRIM: 1. S O’Neill; 2. K O’Boyle (capt.), 3. R Johnston, 4. C Brady; 5. T Scullion, 6. J Crozier, 7. A Healy; 10. C Murray, 9. A Gallagher; 23. B Herron, 11. T McCann (0-2), 12. M Sweeney; 13. P Cunningham (0-2, one free), 8. M McCann, 15. K Niblock (0-2, frees). Subs: 17. K Brady for M McCann (41 mins), 19. T O’Neill for Sweeney (46 mins), 22. S Burke for Herron (48 mins), 25. M Dougan (0-1) for Cunningham (57 mins). Yellow cards: Niblock (13 mins), Johnson (43 mins). Red card: Dougan (68 mins).
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).
View Gallery
