Antrim Minor hurlers followed the success of their U21 counterparts when they collected the Ulster Minor championship with a good win over Derry in Owenbeg on he 21st July.
Ulster Minor Hurling Final 2014
Antrim 0-17 Derry 0-9
A srtong second half performance saw Antrim overcome the dogged challenge of a battling Derry in the Ulster Minor Hurling Final at Owenbeg last Sunday. The sides were level at half time but after the break the young Saffrons found anoither gear to pull away and win comfortably in the end.
Indeed Paul McKillen’s side should have won by much more but were wayward in their shooting, recording 14 wides in the second half to add to their 5 first half misses. Antrim now face Galway in the quarter-final and manger paul McKillen was adament after the game that this performance would simply not have been good enough to serioussly challenge the boys from Connaught.
With Loughgiel mid-field partnership of James McNaughton and Carthal McMullan to the fore, Antrim showed three changes from the side who defeated Down in the semi-final with James carey, Caolan McCaughan and Seaghan Shannon coming into the starting lineup.
A couple of early points from Cushendall’s Christy McNaughton gave Antrim the perfect start and James Carey marked his call to the side with another to make it 0-3 to 0-00. Another point from McCaughan saw the saffron lead 0-4 to 0-1 by the 9th minute and at this stage it all seemed to be going to plan.
Derry began to get to grips however and their ploy of dropping high ball in and around the Antrim square began to pay dividend as Pronsias Burke split the uprights to record Derry’s second score of the game. Christy McNaughton replied for the visitors to restore their three point advantage and when Darra Rocks added another the Saffrons looked to taking complete control once more.
Derry had other ideas however as they battled for every ball and they finished the half with a flurry with Eamon Magill, O’Reilly (0-2) and a superb long range free from Burke put them right back into contention with the sides level at the break on 0-6 each.
BACK IN FRONT
After the break Antrim seemed to step up a gear and Christy McNaughton pointed them ahead from an early free with Rocks following with his second of the game to move his side two in front. McNaughton added another massive free before Ciaran Steele opened Derry’s second half account to keep his side in touch.
Antrim were now beginning to create more space, aided by the strong breeze as McCaughan added a point and then Owens in the Derry goal pulled off a great save to deny McCurdy a certain goal, the Derry net minder coming bravely off his line to block the corner-forwards close range effort.
Antrim were now calling the shots however as they hit three unanswered points to put further daylight between the sides and Christy McNaughton added two late scores to put a better look on the scoreline.
Antrim manager Paul McKillen will be trying to arrange a couple of friendlies prior to his sides forthcoming game against Galway and he knows that it will take a considerable improvement on this performance if his side are to make any impact against the lads from the West.
There were some fine individual performances with Ryan McNulty, Dara Rocks, James McNaughton, Eoin Conlon, Cathal McMullan and Christy McNaughton in fine form and if they can sharpen up in their finishing then they look well capable of giving hot favourites Galway a run for their money.
