Ulster U20 Football Championship
Antrim 1-9 to 2-4
A number of top class ‘marks’ by Cargin’s Pat Shivers were the catalyst for an excellent Antrim victory over a fancied Derry in the Ulster U20 football championship at the Dub tonight. Shivers finished the game with 0-5 and his high fielding was a feature of Antrim’s play on the night.
Derry went into this game as strong favourites and looked like justifying the favourites tag when they struck with two early goals but an Adam Loughran goal for the Saffrons heralded an Antrim come-back as they went on to dominate the opening half.
Conleth McShane set the visitors on their way with a goal in the third minute after being put clear by Alex Doherty but Loughran replied for the home side with a low drive from an acute angle after good work by Pat Shivers with nine minutes gone.
Derry continued to look the livelier side during the opening quarter despite playing into the breeze and Jude McAtamney was in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball over the line after Luke Mulholland brought off an excellent save to deny Conleth McShane with 11 minutes gone.
Slowly the Saffrons weathered the early storm as their defence shut up shop and with Eoghan McMenamin gaining a foothold at mid-field they began to take the game to their opponents and it would be a further 42 minutes before the Oak Leaf side would raise another flag.
The home side began to play accurate balls into their full-forward line with Pat Shivers proving an excellent target man and he made a number of marks close to goal and on each occasion added a conversion as Antrim went on to lead 1-6 to 2-1 at the break and they were good value for that lead.
Derry were expected to come out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half and they began with a flurry but some wayward shooting coupled by strong defensive play by Antrim saw them waste a number of opportunities to eat into the Saffron lead.
The home side continued to look dangerous on the break and responded with three points, the best of these coming from Adam Loughran with Pat Shivers adding the other two.
As the game entered the final quarter Antrim suffered a double setback as first goalkeeper Luke Mulholland limped out of the contest to be followed shortly by centre half forward Dominic McEnhill and with the home side struggling from their own kick-outs Derry began to get on top for the first time since the opening quarter.
As the home side struggled to gain useful possession at midfield Derry began to dominate in this sector but their finishing was abysmal as chance after chance sailed well wide of the target in the difficult swirling wind.
Alex Doherty did manage to pull one back from a free and Jude McAtamney blazed over when a goal looked on but that was as close as they got despite 9 ½ minutes added time as Antrim held on for a deserved victory and they will now meet the winners of Tyrone and Armagh who are set to meet tomorrow (Saturday)
ANTRIM: Luke Mulholland; James McDonnell, Jamie Lamont,
Eamon Kelly; Peter King (0-1), Cormac McGettigan, Ronan Gribbin; Pat Shivers
(0-5, 3f), Eoghan McMenamim; Adam Loughran (1-0), Dominic McEnhill (0-1), Conor
Stewart; Aaron McNeilly; Peter Henvey (0-2), Rory Brolly.
SUBS: Seaan Elliott for R Brolly (46), Gary Murray for L
Mulholland (INJ 52), Marc McAfee for D McEnhill (53), John Morgan for James
McDonnnell (58).
YELLOW CARDS: P Shivers (13), R Brolly (39), M McAfee
(60+4, 60+7)
RED CARD: M McAfee (60+7).
DERRY: Ryan Scullion; James Diamond, Tiarnán Walsh; Odhrán McLarnon; Eunan Mulholland, Jarlaith Donaghy, Aidan McCluskey; Kealan Friel, Conleth McShane (1-0); Niall Doyle, Fintan Bradley, Conleth McGuckin, Cormac Murphy; Jude McAtamney (1-2), Alex Doherty (0-1f).
SUBS: Paul Cassidy for C Murphy (38), Ben McCarron for F Bradley (38), Ciaran Doyle (0-1) for E Mulholland (48
YELLOW
CARDS:
RED CARD: J Diamond (60+7).
REF: James Lewis (Fermanagh).
ANTRIM: Luke Mulholland, Eunan McAteer, Jamie Lamont, Eamon Kelly, Peter King, Cormac McGettigan, Ronan Gribbin, Pat Shivers, Eoghan McMenamim, Adam Loughran, Dominic McEnhill, Conor Stewart, Aaron McNeilly, Peter Henvey, Rory Brolly
SUBS: Seaan Elliott for R Brolly (46), Gary Murray for L Mulholland (INJ 52), Marc McAfee for D McEnhill (53), John Morgan for James McDonnnell (58).
YELLOW CARDS: P Shivers (13), R Brolly (39), M McAfee (60+4, 60+7)
RED CARD: M McAfee (60+7).
REF: James Lewis (Fermanagh).
