Ulster U20 Hurling Cup Final
Antrim 1-25 Down 1-13
Saturday 8 March
Brendan McTaggart reports from Ballycastle
A strong second half performance from Antrim was enough to ensure they claimed the u20 Ulster Cup in Ballycastle on Saturday afternoon. 12 points was the difference at the end of the hour but after an indifferent first half where they held a four point lead, it was a much more controlled performance from the Saffrons as they restricted Down to just two points from open play in that second half.
It was the trio of Ruairi Og’s in the full forward line did the majority of the damage on the scoreboard, Joseph McLaughlin, Callagh Mooney and Fiontan Bradley sharing 15 points between them while Bradley who got my nod for Man of The Match.
Assuming the free taking responsibilities, Bradley was flawless and struck five points from open play. He gave the Down full back line a torrid time for the full hour while Mooney was also a major thorn in the Mourne Men’s side.
Out of the 1-25 registered, to hit 1-19 from open play is an impressive return and when you factor in the ten different scorers, it all makes for good reading for the Saffrons. When they analyse this one, they will have concerns about the second quarter of the first half where they allowed Down to eek their way back into the game after Antrim had built a seven point lead but they still had enough about them to lay a solid foundation for their second half.
Defensively, Liam Glackin and Ben O’Kane were excellent at the heart of the defence while Niall Magee and Charlie McAuley also shone. The middle third was largely dominated by those in Saffron, Sean McKay and Calum McIlwaine working well together while the work rate of those in half forward line was a massive factor in the Saffrons pulling clear in the second half.
With the wind swirling on the north coast, it was difficult to read whether it favoured anyone in the first half. Antrim did settle much quicker that Down with two points from McIlwaine and Joseph McLaughlin inside the opening three minutes. Luke McCabe opened Down’s account in the sixth minute before Antrim had the first sight of a major. Bradley it was who stole in behind the Down defence but his shot was well saved by Cian Clarke. He did manage convert the resulting ’65 to open Antrim’s two point lead once again but Down replied with a major at the other end of the pitch.
Sean McCarthy leaving his midfield berth and playing a return pass with Sean O’Neill before finding the back of Eoghan Richmond’s net.
Antrim’s response to going behind was perfect. Points followed from Bradley and Oran Donnelly (two) to restore Antrim’s lead before Aodhan McGarry scored Antrim’s goal in the 15th minute. With Callagh Mooney creating the chance from nothing, McGarry timed his run to take the sliotar and fire home to open a five point lead.
Further scores followed from Bradley and McKay to make it 1-5 without reply in a little over six minutes as the Saffrons took control.
The Mourne Men began to find their way back into the game however with Cathal Coleman, Liam Blaney and Sean O’Neill prominent. In the ten minutes after McKay’s point, Antrim registered just one more white flag, that a free from Bradley in 20th minute while the visitors began to eat into the Antrim lead. Points from Coleman (two frees), O’Neill, Blaney and Rogers reduced the deficit to three while it took some last gasp defending from Ben O’Kane to deny McCabe what looked like a certain goal in that same period.
A brace of frees from McGarry and Bradley restored a sense of control before Coleman’s third of the half and first from play left it 1-11 to 1-7 at half time.
Down started the second half in the ascendancy and had another glimpse of the Antrim goal with Coleman going close but the Antrim deficit was halved just four minutes into that second half. Coleman’s third from placed ball was quickly followed by the impressive Blaney’s second of the game.
Antrim responded with points from Jospeph McLaughlin and Mooney (two) and while Coleman added to his tally from another ’65, Antrim were beginning to take a stranglehold of the game.
Another four unanswered points came from Joseph McLaughlin, a brace from Bradley (one free) and a tidy score from Niall Magee put Antrim eight clear with a little over 10 minutes of the match remaining.
Down rarely looked like they would eat into that Antrim lead as the Saffrons defence remained strong, conceding just one point from open play in the last 10 minutes – that coming from Blaney and while Coleman added a brace of frees, Antrim were much more fluent in attack.
Scores came from Cormac McKeown, McKay a brace from substitute Orrin O’Connor while Bradley scored three in the closing stages – one from placed ball while the other two were contenders for score of the match. Wide on either flank and under pressure, he had no right to score them from that angle but still managed to raise the white flag.
Antrim progress to the Leinster Championship Tier 2 round robin where they will face Meath and Westmeath with the first match on 29 March.
TEAMS
Antrim: Eoghan Richmond; Ciarán McAllister, Liam Glackin, Malachi McGibbon; Charlie McAuley, Ben O’Kane, Niall Magee; Sean McKay, Calum McIlwaine; Aodhan McGarry, Oran Donnelly, Thomas McLaughlin; Callagh Mooney, Joseph McLaughlin, Fiontan Bradley
Subs: Sean Óg Blaney for C McAllister (28); Cormac McKeown for O Donnelly (38); Orrin O’Connor for J McLaughlin (58); Austin Birt for L Glackin (58)
Scorers: F Bradley 0-10 (5fs); A McGarry 1-1 (1f); J McLaughlin 0-3; S McKay 0-2; O Donnelly 0-2; C Mooney 0-2; O O’Connor 0-2; N Magee 0-1; C McIlwaine 0-1; C McKeown 0-1
Down: Cian Clarke; Dominic McGrath, Ben Taggart, Eoin Browne; Manus Gilmore, Patrick McGarry, Daniel Cunningham; Sean McCarthy, Sean McCollum; Luke McCabe, Cathal Coleman, Noah Rogers; Liam Blaney, Sean O’Neill, John Duggan
Subs: David Morrissey for L McCabe (16); Conor O’Neill for M Gilmore (HT); Shea Pucci for D McGrath (47); Rossa Byres for D Cunningham (56); Calum O’Neill for N Rogers (58)
Scorers: C Coleman 0-7 (4fs 2’65s); S McCarthy 1-00; L Blaney 0-3; L McCabe 0-1; N Rogers 0-1; S O’Neill 0-1
Referee: Ruan McKinstry (Armagh)
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