Dalata Hotel Group Ulster U20 Football Championship, Group A
Antrim 0-2 Donegal 3-23
Antrim’s opening game in the Ulster Under 20 Football Championship became something of a nightmare when they were totally outclassed by a brilliant Donegal team at Dunsilly
This was Antrim’s first outing in Group A and it is one they will seek to park as the Tír Chonaill men, fresh from a big win in their opener against Fermanagh, were in a merciless mood throughout.
They had big performances all over the field with Seanan Carr leading the way in the scoring stakes, finishing with 2-10 with 1-4 of that tally from play, but all over the field, they were a different class than their hosts.
To their credit Antrim battled hard throughout, but the Tir Conaill men were simply on a different level. They bossed the game from start to finish conceding a mere two point over the hour, none of them in the second half
They went for the jugular from the throw in and right half back Fionn Coll grabbed an early goal as he cut through the Antrim defence in spectacular fashion. While Antrim’s few attacks came down the wings the visitors went straight through the middle, going from end to end without a glove laid on them.
The pace of Donegal was causing Antrim real problems as their ability to move the ball at speed was opening up the home defence time and again, while they were also on top around the middle as they owned the Antrim restarts.
Conor McGinty landed twice before Antrim got off the mark through Rory McErlean, but there was no let-up as Donegal continued to attack in waves and the scores flowed with Carr, Shane Callaghan and Kevin Muldoon landing before the latter thumped over a two-pointer which stretched the gap to 10.
The second goal arrived on 22 minutes from a Seanan Carr penalty, awarded after Donncha McGurk was adjudged to have fouled Kevin Lynch but to be honest it looked a bit harsh as Lynch appeared to lose his footing and fall over the top of the Antrim man.
Although Antrim responded with a score from Ciaran McAleese, it would prove to be their last of the game as matters got worse when Niall Hynds was sent off on a second yellow with 27 played.
There was no way back even at this stage and with Conor McCahill and Dylan Mulholland also getting their name on the scoresheet, Donegal went in at the break with an unassailable 2-11 to 0-2 lead.
There was no easing up in the second period despite a raft of changes as Donegal rattled off four early scores – three from Carr – before Antrim were awarded a 42nd-minute penalty for a touch on the ground, but Padraig McBride was equal to Conhuir Johnston’s effort. Again it seemed harsh on the Antrim boys as the ball appeared to have crossed the line with the umpire clearly signalling that.
It would have been little but a consolation and Donegal were in no mood to give anything else away as they blocked countless shots, while at the other end, the scores continued to flow with substitutes Donnacha Boyle, Jack, Gallagher and Darragh Hennigan all chipping in.
But Carr was the star of the show and he got his second goal of the evening with three minutes to play, capping a fine evening for his team who maintained their impressive start to the competition.
For Antrim, it’s a matter of dusting themselves off and quickly as they host Fermanagh – who had a tough evening of their own against Tyrone – on Saturday at Dunsilly (2pm)
Antrim scorers: R McErlean 0-1, C McAleese 0-1
Donegal scorers: S Carr 2-10 (1-0 pen, 0-6f), F Coll 1-1, K Muldoon 0-3 (1x2pt), C McGinty 0-2, D Mulholland 0-2, C McCahill 0-1, S Callaghan 0-1, D Hennigan 0-1, D Boyle 0-1, J Gallagher 0-1
ANTRIM: Sennan Nagle; Sonny Doyle, Niall Hynds, Christopher Hale; Ronan Quinn, Paul Duffin, Eamonn Ward; Mannus McCrossan, Donncha McGurk; Corey Walsh, Conhuir Johnston, Rory McErlean; JJ Higgins, Ciaran McAleese, Sean Boyd.
Subs: Segade Adams for E Ward (ht), Michael McKenna for C McAleese (ht), Tarlach Enright for S Boyd (37), Lorcan Phillips for JJ Higgins (37), Ethan Walsh for C Walsh (43)
DONEGAL: Padraig McBride; Ruairi Callaghan, Niall Prenderville, Cathal Ó Gallchoir; Fionn Coll, Callum McCrea, Conor McGinty; Sean Martin, Kevin Muldoon; Mark McDevitt, Dylan Mulholland, Seanan Carr; Conor McCahill, Kevin Lynch, Shane Callaghan.
Subs: Jack Gallagher for M McDevitt (ht), Donnacha Boyle for C McCahill (ht), David Monaghan for K Muldoon (ht), Odhran Doherty for C McCrea (ht), Darragh Hennigan for C McGinty (42)
REFEREE: C Brady (Monaghan)
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