Monaghan 0-11 Antrim 2-11
What a win for Antrim Minor Footballers who defeated Monaghan in the Ulster Championship in Inniskeen tonight. Rank outsiders going into the game Antrim made a great start and a goal from a Tarlach Enright penalty had them 1-2 to 0-1 ahead after eleven minutes. In a game of high quality Monaghan fought back and were level at half time.
Coming out to play against the breeze in the second half the young Saffron’s played brilliantly, scoring 1-6, while holding Monaghan to just three points to book a place in the next round. The second goal was a thing of beauty as a lovely flick off the ground sent right half back Kevin McCann clear and the Moneyglass man made no mistake as he fired past Oran Finnegan in the Monaghan net.
It was underdogs Antrim who defied the punters predictions and the odds to produce one of the best displays by an Antrim team for many years. Two weeks ago Monaghan had turned over the Saffrons in Belfast in the Ulster league by a a massive 17 points but it was obvious from the start tonight in Inniskeen that the Antrim management had done their homework.
They raced into an early lead with points from Ciaran McAleese and Conhuir Johnston before Tarlach Enright fired to the Monaghan net from the penalty spot in the 11th minute to put the young Saffrons 1-2 to 0-1 ahead, the Monaghan point coming from Bobby McCaul in the 8th minute.
Monaghan rallied during the second quarter and replied with points from Charlie McQuillan, Bobby McCaul and Max McGinnity 0-3, Tommy Mallon and Sahil Arya but Antrim kept in touch with Ciaran McAleese, Conhuir Johnston and Rory McErlane all on target to leave the half time score 1-5 to 0-8
Favourites Monaghan were expected to push on in the second half but they simply couldn’t live with a rampant Antrim side who’s direct running was causing the Farney defence plenty of problems.
It was the home side who were first off the mark however when Sahil Arya pointed them ahead in the 31st minute but the Saffrons came roaring back with points from James Blaney, Kevin McCann and Conhuir Johnston to move two in front with 8 minutes of the new half gone.
Monaghan rang the changes at this stage with Finlay Foy replacing Canice Murphy and David Traynor coming on for Shea Casey but the visitors had the bit firmly between their teeth as Diarmuid O’Sullivan pointed before the superb Kevin McCann soloed through for his side’s second goal in the 16th minute.
There would be no way back for the home side after this as the Antrim defence shut up shop, holding Monaghan to three second half points with Max McGinnity and Johnny Lavelle their other scorers and Antrim replying through Conhuir Johnston and Tiernan McCormick to run out convincing winners by six points.
A great win for the Saffrons and one that will surely provide a boost to their seniors going into tomorrow’s SFC game against Cavan at Corrigan Park.
There management deserve great credit in the manner in which they prepared their side for a game in which many pundits had written them off.
They were superb all over the field with Kevin McCann deserving of special mention for his 1-1 contribution from half-back and Conhuir Johnston turning in a strong performance on the ’40’. The young Saffrons now play the losers of the Armagh v Derry first round game in this new ‘Back Door’ system which gauruntees every team at least two games.
Antrim: James McLaughlin (St. Ergnat’s), Thomas Lloyd (St. Brigid’s), Conor Logue (Str. Brigid’s), Hugh O’Donnell (Cargin), Paul Duffin (St. Ergnat’s), Bairre Burns (St. Paul’s), Kevin McCann (St. Ergnat’s), Manus McCrossan (St. Gall’s), Tiernan McCormick (St. Ergnat’s), Tarlach Enright (Gort na Mona), Conhuir Johnston (Cargin), Rory McErlane (St. Brigid’s), Ciaran McAleese (Portglenone), Niall Hynds (Glenravel), James Blaney (St. Brigid’s) 16 Noah Jeffries (Aldergrove), 17 Diarmuid O’Sullivan (St. Paul’s), 18 Sean Boyd (St. Ergnat’s), 19 Finn Shannon (Aldergrove), 20 Niall McKenna (St. Paul’s), 21 Ronan Quinn (St. John’s), 22 Ben McLarnon (Cargin)
