Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup, Section C
Antrim 1-9 Fermanagh 1-10
Antrim’s Dr McKenna Cup campaign came to an end at a sunny Ahoghill on Sunday as they were beaten by a point by Fermanagh despite a sustained late rally.
On Wednesday night Antrim travelled to Castleblaney where they lost by five to Monaghan and Sunday’s defeat means that their campaign in the McKenna Cup is over but both games will have surely benefited them as they prepare for the league which commences in two weeks-time.
It was the Ernesiders who made the better start with Ciaran Donnelly fielding a more experienced side than Antrim and the visitors went into the break holding a 1-6 to 1-2 lead and were good value for that lead.
It was Ronan Boyle, who added to a couple of fine points on Wednesday night, who kicked Antrim into an early lead but Fermanagh replied through Ultan Kelm, Garvan Jones 0-2, Ronan McCaffrey and a fisted effort from Declan McCusker to lead 0-5 to 0-1 midway through the opening period.
There was at times a lack of urgency about the Antrim play as Fermanagh continued to make most of the running but the visitors were guilty of some poor finishing which kept Antrim in the game.
The hosts continued to play the long ball into Ruairi McCann at full-forward with little initial success but the tactic finally paid off when the big Aghagallon man fed Benen Kelly who forced the ball home from close range in the 21st minute.
Sean Cassidy replied with a Fermanagh point before Eunan Walsh hit back with a good effort for the Saffrons to close the gap to one and the Antrim effort seemed to be gaining some traction.
Back came the visitors however as Che Cullen placed his brother Lee to palm to the net and leave Antrim trailing by 1-6 to 1-2 at the break and looking second best for the greater part of the opening half.
Things did improve for Andy McEntee’s side after the break and Conor Hand pointed in the opening minute and keeper, Luke Mulholland followed from a ‘45’ in response to a Ronan McCaffrey point for the Erne men.
Marc Jordan hit another to close the gap to two by the 5th minute but Ultan Kelm moved Fermanagh three ahead once more with a point in the 14th minute as tempered began to fray.
It would be another seven minute for the next score to arrive with substitute Conor Love moving Fermanagh four ahead before losing Ryan Lyons to a Black card in the 63d minute.
Antrim took advantage as Oisin Doherty and Joe Finnegan kicked a couple of good points to leave just one in it but despite a period of sustained pressure they could not mange an equaliser.
The next score would come from Fermanagh as they broke from defence and Diarmuid King finished a flowing move to move the visitors two ahead.
With referee Chris Brady from Monaghan calling for six minutes extra time and despite a period of sustained pressure the Saffrons had to settle for a late pointed free from Oisin Doherty.
Just a point separated the sides in the end but Fermanagh deserved their victory and they now face Monaghan in Enniskillen on Wednesday night to decide who of them will top the group and earn a place in the semi-final.
“It’s a results business so I’d like to be winning a game like that,” “Fermanagh would like to be winning a game like that too, so it’s always a tight battle. We’ve played them three times (over the past year) and it’s probably a draw after the three or a point in it today, so it’s not like we didn’t expect a battle.
“Their kick-out retention rate was a lot better than ours and they won a lot of the physical battles around the pitch. On the basis of that, there’s a bit of work to be done (before the start of the League).
“It isn’t so much the result as we weren’t going to qualify (for the semi-finals) anyway but there are certain things that are under our control and I don’t think we controlled them well enough today.” said a disappointed manager Andy McEntee after the game.
There was a lack of energy and physicality from the Saffrons but over the two games they have blooded a few new faces and the loss of Cathal Hynds early in the contest certainly didn’t help.
The Saffron now have a couple of weeks to put matters right and will be hoping to have a few of their more experienced campaigners back on board for the visit to Limerick in their National League opener.
Antrim: L Mulholland (0-1, 45); O Downey, E Walsh (0-2), R Boyle (0-1); B Kelly (1-0), J Finnegan (0-1), R McCann (Creggan); P McAleer, E Quinn; C Hand (0-1), E Hynds, C McGettigan; D McEnhill, R McCann (Aghagallon), M Jordan (0-1).
Subs: P McBride for E Hynds (21), D Lynch for B Kelly (HT), C McLarnon for C McGettigan (47), K Keenan for P McBride (52), O Doherty (0-2, 1 free) for R McCann (Agahallon, 53), C Higgins for D McEnhill (57), A McAleese for R McCann (Creggan, 61), M Byrne for L Mulholland (63), J Morgan for O Downey (67).
Fermanagh: S McNally; L Cullen (1-0), C Cullen, O Smyth (0-1); D McCusker, S McGullion, J Largo-Ennis; B Horan, C McGee; A Breen, R McCaffrey (0-2), C McShea; U Kelm (0-1), G Jones (0-2, 1 free), S Cassidy (0-2).
Subs: D King (0-1) for G Jones (49), C Love (0-1 free) for S Cassidy (49), J McDade for A Breen (54), R Lyons for S McGullion (57), C McManus for C McShea (67), T Bogue for U Kelm (70).
Referee: C Brady (Monaghan)
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