02 June 2014
The 1st June 2014 was set up for a number of possibilities for followers of Antrim. With our two senior teams in provincial quarter final action along with our minor footballers, supporters had to make a choice between Portlaoise and Enniskillen, hurling or football. That’s the peril of being a dual county , active in two provincial tournaments.
In the end the hurlers fell short, the rigours of the last 5 weeks perhaps finally taking its toll. In Enniskillen it was a different story – and one with a happy ending!
Wexford came flying out of the traps and were two goals to the good in the opening minutes of the Leinster quarter final. After the defeat Kevin Ryan said that our lads really need to get a lead, and the associated boost that would have provided to tired bodies. We battled hard after the horror opening, and in the second quarter a string of points brought Antrim back into the game.
However there was too much of a gap already. There were strong performances from Neil McManus and Paul Shiels in particular and Chris O’Connell was largely responsible for keeping us in the game for as long we were. In the end it was a long road home for players and fans, on the wrong end of a 5.19 to 0.21 scoreline.
Match report from GAA here http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/daily-news/1/0106141538-wexford-v-antrim/
ANTRIM: C O’Connell, A Graffin, C McKinley, Ciaran Johnson, O McFadden, N McAuley, E Campbell, P Shiels, M Bradley, C Carson, N McManus, C McCann, C Clarke, Conor Johnson, PJ O’Connell. Subs: B McFall for Conor Johnson (41), M Donnelly for Clarke (46), D Hamill for McFadden (52), S McAfee for Carson (58)
And so onto the football.
Our minor and senior teams both won on a fantastic day in Brewster Park. If you don’t mind I’ll type that again…both our minor and senior teams beat Fermanagh. Whatever happens next, and hopefully we are still in the very early stages of a long campaign, this day will remain in the mind for a long time.
Firstly our minors, who have had a good season and recorded some notable wins in the Ulster league, including an early season win against yesterday’s hosts. Led by Ruairi Scott, they were fantastic. All over the pitch our players were fit, hungry, and first to the ball and they built a win based on goals and a pressing game. Fermanagh attempted to halt the tide in the second half especially but each time they scored Antrim replied in kind. It was encouraging performance and set the perfect tone for the day.
Antrim: A. Hasson; R. Delargy, T. McGowran, P. Mackle; P. McGreevy, P. McParland, C. Mallon; R. Scott (1-05, 1f, 1'45) R. McNulty; J. McAuley (1-02), C. Small (2-01), J. Connolly; S. McGarry (0-01, 1f), B. Corr, O. Eastwood (0-01). Subs: B. Rice (1-01) for McAuley, R. Hannigan for Connolly, C. Eastwood for Mallon, C. Flynn for Corr.
In the senior game at times the scoreboard looked like the stuff of dreamland. Antrim played their best championship football since, well probably since 2009. Fermanagh couldn’t cope and yet….well we all know what happened at the end. But then it wouldn’t be the life of an Antrim fan as we know it if things were straightforward.
But, setting aside the lapse of saffron memory that a half of football now lasts for 35 minutes and not 30, Antrim were terrific. Fast direct ball into the forward line, wonderful fielding at midfield, turning over off possession and a strong of scores from the top drawer…all of this and more was on display.
I can't give a full account of the last Fermanagh attack as my eyes were firmly shut at that time. It was that unbearable.
The post mortems around the last 5 minutes of each half are for another day, as is the thought of playing Donegal in the semi-final. Today Antrim fans are just enjoying the fact that we are playing Donegal in the semi, and that our name will be absent when the draw for the football qualifiers is made.
ANTRIM: P Flood; K O'Boyle, R Johnston, N Delargy; M Johnston, J Crozier, J Laverty; M McCann (0-2), M Sweeney; C Murray, K Niblock (1-3, 1f), P McCann (0-2); B Neeson (1-6, 1f), N McKeever, T McCann (0-3, 2f). Subs: M Armstrong for Murray (BC, 18m), P McBride for Laverty (BC, 36m), R Murray (0-2) for P McCann (42m), D Lynch for Armstrong (59m), S McVeigh for Sweeney (67m)
Yellow cards: Delargy (62m) Black cards: C Murray (18m), Laverty (36m
Match report from Belfast Telegraph http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/fermanagh/antrim-hold-on-for-epic-victory-over-fermanagh-30320850.html
So, we salute the players on all 3 sides that represented our county yesterday. Two go forward in Ulster, and our hurlers await the qualifying draw.
The Saffron summer is up and running……..and it feels pretty good.
Brendan Mulgrew