Antrim fall to Monaghan in final League game

Ulster Minor Football League Group B

Antrim 0-10 Monaghan 4-19

Antrim lost their final game in the Ulster Minor Football league to a strong and talented Monaghan in Portglenone on Saturday. The Farney county just missed out in a place in the league final through an earlier two point defeat to Derry but always had too much in the tank for a very young Antrim side.

The game was as good as over at the halfway stage when Monaghan led by 2-7 to 0-1 with Max Maginnity and Tommy Mallen getting the Monaghan goals but Antrim performed much better in the second half and the introduction of Creggan’s Conor Johnston provided them with a real scoring threat.

**Antrim’s Michael McKenna runs at the Monaghan defence**

The Saffrons hit 0-9 during the second 30 minutes with number (22), Johnston leading the way hitting 0-7 (0-4 frees) with Se Ferris, Michael McKenna and Fintan Close the other marksmen but never looked like hauling in the opposition who continued to look threatening every time they attacked.

They went on to add 2-12 to their first half total with Odhran Maher and John McChrystal getting the goals and Max Maginnity, Tom Doherty, Conor Jones, Andrew Stewart and Sean Og McElwain amongst the point scorers.

Quite a number of this Antrim team are under age again next year and despite poor results in this year’s league they have shown enough to suggest that they can be a serious threat next year and a lot of work is being put in with this group of players.

**Antrim’s Colla Ward is fouled as he carries the ball out of defence**

Antrim: 1 Daniel McCann, 2 Daire Oglesby, 3 Sonny Doyle, 4 Ethan Walsh, 5 Ronan Donnelly, 6 Colla Ward, 7 Cillian McEldowney, 8 Michael McKenna, 9 Jack Harney, 10 Patrick O’Neill, 11 James Blaney, 12 Fintan Close, 13 Shea Burns, 14 Eoin Maginnis, 15 Shea McCann, 16 John McAtamney, 17 Liam Lynn, 18 Joseph Lewis, 19 JJ Higgins, 20 Daire Higgins, 21 Connor O’Connell, 22 Conor Johnston, 23 Ciaran McAlea, 24 Se Ferris

Monaghan: 16 John Flanagan, 2 Ethan McCaffrey, 3 Cian Greenan, 4 Jack Lynch, 5 Tomas Quinn, 6 Tommy Mallen, 7 Caolan Clerkin, 8 Canice Murphy, 9 Johnny Wright, 10 Conor Burns, 12 Tom Doherty, 13 Matthew Finn, 15 Sean Og McElwain, 18 Andrew Stewart, 21 Conor Jones, 22 Max Maginnity, 21 Conor Jones, 23 John McChrystal

Referee: Enda Mallon