Allianz National Football League, Division 3
Antrim 4-16-1-11 Leitrim
Kevin Herron reports from Corrigan Park
ANTRIM moved clear of Leitrim at the foot of the Division Three standings with a comfortable 4-16-1-11 win at Corrigan Park on Saturday,
The Saffrons were ruthless in the opening half and had four-goals before the midway point. Marc Jordan and Niall Burns netted within the opening quarter of an hour and Dominic McEnhill followed up after his penalty was saved by Daire O’Shea.
On the stroke of half time Fionn Nagle poked home a fourth from close range and despite Donal Casey pulling a goal back for the visitors in the closing stages, the second half was a more than professional performance from Andy McEntee’s charges- who move onto four-points from their opening four encounters.
Without the suspended duo of Conor Stewart and Conor Hand, McEntee reshuffled his pack with Niall Burns and Ryan Murray coming into the starting 15, in what was Murray’s 100th appearance in the Saffron jersey.
Antrim were off the mark early when Ruairi McCann popped over from a Mick Byrne pass but Paul Honeyman converted a close range free less than a minute later.
The visitors twice led through Darren Cox and Keith Keegan points and in between times Dominic McEnhill steered a high free over.
Ruairi McCann thought he had netted his sides opening goal when he got a fist to Fionn Nagles high ball, but after consultation with his officials, referee Conor Dourneen disallowed it for a square ball.
They wouldn’t have long to wait as it arrived on the 11th minute. Marc Jordan slipped a pass to Niall Burns and he returned to Jordan who found the top corner with an angled shot to make it 1-2-0-3.
McEnhill doubled his account after cutting in on the left and bending a shot over before a second goal arrived with little over a quarter of an hour gone.
Ryan Murray picked out club-mate Jordan who played a one-two with Ruairi McCann before delivering a low ball across the face of goal that Niall Burns charged in to meet and bundle to the net.
Burns pointed within 60-seconds and the Saffrons had the opportunity to extend their lead when Marc Jordan was caught by Kieran Glancy as he was about to pull the trigger and Dourneen signalled for a penalty.
Responsibility fell to Domonic McEnhill whose shot was kept out initially by Daire O’Shea in the Leitrim goal, but McEnhill got to the loose ball ahead of O’Shea and scrambled in to make it 3-4-0-5.
Without a score in 18 minutes a Tom Prior point lifted the visitors and subsequent scores from Jack Foley and Daire O’Shea followed before the interval.
Antrim remained in the ascendancy and added a further 1-2 before the half concluded. Niall Burns and Ruairi McCann hit back-to-back scores in response to Prior’s and on the 34th minute Fionn Nagle netted from close range after Mick Byrne and Dermot McAleese combined in the build-up and an injury time Jack Lenehan point had his side 4-7-0-6 ahead at the midway point.
Jack Lenehan doubled his tally within three-minutes of the restart, but Leitrim started the second period brightly as Tom Prior and Darren Cox both doubled his personal tallies.
Back-to-back scores followed from Ruairi McCann and half time substitute Ryan McQuillan but Paul Honeyman doubled his tally for the afternoon as the sides had cancelled each other out in the half by the 50th minute.
A converted Dominic McEnhill free was followed by a fisted Niall Burns point as Antrim attempted to move through the gears, though Leitrim were much improved and replied through substitute Donal Casey.
Half time substitute McQuillan doubled his account and a further goal chance somehow went a begging as Conhuir Johnston gathered a high flighted ball into him on the edge of the small square and his low goal-bound shot was turned behind by Daire O’Shea.
Instead, Leitrim found a consolation strike through a bullet of a shot from Donal Casey that flew across the face of goal and in to make it 4-13-1-10.
The hosts lifted things in the aftermath with Niall Burns helping a Eunan Walsh shot over the bar and Conhuir Johnston swinging a shot over.
The final two points were exchanged with Paul Honeyman sending a high shot over and Ryan McQuillan adding a point at the other end after Paddy McBride had a shot cleared off the line in the build-up.
In the end, Antrim ran out comfortable winners to move clear of Leitrim at the foot of the table with three-games remaining.
ANTRIM: M Byrne, E McCabe, E Walsh, J Morgan, J McAuley, J Lenehan (0-2), D McAleese, M Jordan (1-0), E Quinn, N Burns (1-4), P McBride, F Nagle (1-0), R Murray, R McCann (0-3), D McEnhill (1-3, 0-1f). Subs: R McQuillan (0-3) for R Murray (HT), C Johnston (0-1) for R McCann (59), J McDonnell for J McAuley (65), P King for E McCabe (70+1), S O’Callaghan for N Burns (70+1).
LEITRIM: D O’Shea (0-1), C McHugh, S Harkin, E McLoughlin, J Rooney, M Diffley, E McNamara, C Quinn, K Keegan (0-1), J Flynn, P Honeyman (0-3), J Foley (0-1), B Guckian, D Cox (0-2), T Prior (0-2). Subs: K Glancey for C McHugh (13), C McHugh for S Harkin (HT), K Beirne for J Rooney (HT), D Casey (1-1) for B Guckian (46), K McHugh for E McLoughlin (59)
REFEREE: Conor Dourneen (Donegal)
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