Antrim 6-16 Fermanagh 2-13

Antrim U16 footballers booked their place in the semi- final of the Gerry Reilly Leinster football Championship with a fifteen point win over Fermanagh at Dunsilly. Antrim had emerged from the group stages of the competition thanks to a draw against holders Meath and a victory over Wicklow.  Fermanagh and Antrim had met once at U15 level with the Saffrons recording a one point victory so this quarter- final was expected to be nip and tuck. The home side had an excellent start with Eunan Quinn winning the throw in and feeding a long direct ball to Hugh Hannon which the stylish Aghagallon lad won well, rounded the keeper and dispatched to the net. The away team settled quickly, and with the highly influential Maguire at corner forward, they soon levelled the game with two placed balls and one from play. The game settled down then and both teams exchanged scores until the lively Maguire found the back of the net with a superb goal. Antrim rallied with points from Montgomery, McKillop and Quinn and the home side were beginning to dominate and when Aidan McErlean found the back of the visitors net just before the break Antrim looked good for their six point lead.

HT Antrim 2-8 Fermanagh 1-5

Antrim started the second half by dominating mid-field, Callum Montgomery and Eunan Quinn winning every kick-out. Some poor decision making meant that the possession wasn’t turned into scores and when the away team broke down the pitch in a rare attack, their giant full forward McLaughlin flicked a speculative ball to the back of the saffron net. Futher points from Smith (2), Maguire (2) and Greene saw the men in Green take the lead for the first time in the match. Antrim introduced Barra McCaffrey off the bench and the Rossa man had an immediate impact scoring a lovely left footed point to settle the home side again. McCaffrey struck again and points from Hannon, Quinn and Captain Sean Duffin put Antrim back into the lead. Duffin then struck a killer blow to the Erne men when he was put through on goal via a defence splitting pass by Quinn and the Kickham’s forward finished to the back of the net. The Saffrons finished the game off in style with scores from Ryan McQuillan, Callum Higgins and Aiden McErlean.

Antrim now go into the Leinster Semi-final on Saturday 3rd August and are waiting on the draw to see who they will face.