Buncrana Cup
Antrim 0-4 Monaghan 0-14
Antrim had high hopes of progressing in the Buncrana Cup going into this game against Monaghan at Dunsilly on Saturday. A win would see them qualify for the Shield final while a win by 11 points could have seen them through to the cup final.
After wins over Down and Armagh in their opening two games Paddy Kelly’s side looked well placed and despite defeat on Wednesday night to a very good Derry team there was still a sense within the camp that at least a place in the Shield final was well within their grasp.
In the end they suffered a heavy 0-14 to 0-4 defeat but the final scoreline certainly doesn’t do justice to an Antrim performance that was descent in everything except finishing. Monaghan led by 0-6 to 0-0 at the break but time and again in the opening half the Saffron were guilty of terrible finishing both from play and from the placed ball.
Bene Kelly provided Antrim’s main scoring threat against Monaghan
In contrast virtually everything the visitors hit went over the bar with Tiernan O’Rourke and Hugh McDonald leading the way. Antrim’s build up play was impressive enough with Ronan McKillop opening up the Monaghan defence with a series of strong runs from deep in defence but Antrim just couldn’t apply the finishing touch.
Louis Kelly, Tiernan O’Rourke and Kelly again had the visitors three in front after 20 minutes as Josh Higgins, Aiden McErlean and Callum Higgins wasted good opportunities at the other end. With O’Rourke and Kelly in fine scoring form the visitors looked in a healthy position as they led by six at the short whistle.
After the break Antrim dominated the opening quarter of the second half with Barra McCaffrey looking dangerous and finally they began to get a few scores on the board with McCaffrey and Finn Mailey leading the way.
Significantly that pressure was punctuated by too many missed opportunities including a guilt edged chance for a goal that was skied wide and Monaghan survived the early onslaught before reasserting their scoring supremacy.
Ronan McKillop runs at the Monaghan defence
The impressive Tirnan O’Rourke continued to impress from midfield and finished with 0-4 to his credit while Jack McMenemin weighed in with three in the second half to ensure there was no way back for the home side.
Despite these two defeats there looks to be plenty of potential in this Antrim panel and on the day they had excellent performers in Shaun O’Callaghan, Ronan McKillop, Josh Higgins, Aiden McErlean, Barry McCaffrey and Sean Duffin despite a shot shy performance.
Antrim: John McCooey, Patrick Moyes, Dan McNicholl, Antoin McLaughlin, Ronan McKillop, Shaun O’Callaghan, Conail McGirr, Josh Higgins, Eunan Quinn, Aiden McErlean, Sean Duffin, Finn Mailey, Barra McCaffrey, Callum Higgins, Matthew Maynes,. Subs: Ronan Blaney, Bene Kelly, Ronan Campbell, Odhran Molloy,
Monaghan: Darragh Croakin, Louis McElwaine, Adam McSkeane, Oran Maguire, Dylan Byrne, Gavin McSkeane, Liam Conway, Tiernan O’Rourke,Ryan Duffy, Stephen O’Rourke, Hugh McDonald, Rio Corrigan, Jack McMenemin, Louis Kelly, Flynn Holland.
