Ulster SFC Preliminary Round
Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8
Armagh coasted into the first round of the Ulster championship after a comfortable win over a tepid Antrim in this preliminary round opener at the Athletic Grounds tonight. The visitors lacked drive and passion during the opening exchanges and found themselves 0-9 to 0-1 down after 27 minutes but finished the half better to hit three of the last four points.
The omission of Odhran Eastwood from the Antrim starting 15 came as something of a surprise but the introduction of the Saffron’s top scorer in the National League in the second half brought about some improvement though Andy McEntee’s side never looked like getting back into contention.
The home side hit the opening three points of the game through Ruairi Grugan, Ciaran Martin and Conor Turbitt and could have been further ahead but Mick Byrne pulled off a brave blocking save to deny Jason Duffy.
Man of the match, Turbitt added two more to move his side O-5 to 0-0 ahead after 15 minutes before Ruairi McCann, Aghagallon punched over the visitor’s first point with 17 minutes gone.
The Saffrons were running into cul-de-sacs and being continuously turned over as Shane McPartlan and Stephen Campbell stretched the Armagh lead to six by the 20th minute as Patrick Finnegan replaced Colm McLarnon in the Antrim side.
Armagh continued to look dangerous in attack as Antrim continued to shoot from poor positions and Tiernan Kelly and Jermal Hall extended the home side’s lead to 8 with 8 minutes remaining to the break.
The visitors finished the half well however with Conor Stewart, Eoghan McCabe and Ryan Murray from a free closing the gap to six as Jerome Henry sounded his half time whistle but it looked a long way back even at this stage of the game.
It was Armagh who started the second half on the front foot as they had the first and Ethan Rafferty, Shane McPartlan and Conor Turbitt moved them nine ahead by the fifth minute before the battling Peter Healey set up Pat Shivers for the visitors opening point of the half
McPartlan replied immediately with an Armagh point as Antrim introduced Odhran Eastwood and Adam Loughran and it brought about an immediate response as Marc Jordan produced a strong run before setting up Conor Stewart for an excellent goal in the 51st minute.
It failed to bring about the required response however as McPartlan Grugan and Conor Turbitt 0-2 (1f) moved the Orchard 9 ahead after 60 minutes and it was clear that there would be no way back for Antrim.
Creggan’s Ruairi McCann pointed a close range free for the Saffrons before the excellent Turbitt replied from play and then pointed an excellent ‘Mark’ before Odhran Eastwood, who looked lively since his introduction, fired over the game’s final score.
Armagh now travel to Cavan in the first round proper while Antrim await their draw in the Tailteann Cup after another disappointing Ulster Championship display as they remain without a victory in the provincial series since their win over Fermanagh in 2014.
Armagh: E Rafferty; J Morgan, A McKay, A Forker; Ciaran Mackin, G McCabe, B McCambridge; B Crealey, S McPartland; S Campbell, R Grugan, J Duffy; J Hall, C Turbitt, T Kelly.
Subs: S Magill, R Finn, C Higgins, S Sheridan, Connaire Mackin, C McConville, E Woods, J Kieran, A Nugent (capt), O Conaty
Antrim: M Byrne; E McCabe, P Healy (capt), J McAuley; P McCormick, J Finnegan, M Jordan; C Stewart, K Small; C McLarnon, R McCann, P McBride; P Shivers, R McCann, R Murray.
Subs: Odhran Eastwood, Dominic McEnhill, Adam Loughran
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
