Ulster SFC Quarter-Final

Armagh 1-34 (1-4-26) Antrim 1-23 (1-5-13)

For over 45 minutes in this compelling contest at Corrigan Park on Saturday, Antrim dared to dream. They led All Ireland champions Armagh by a point at the break and that lead might have been greater but Kavan Keenan had his penalty attempt saved by replacement goalkeeper, Blaine Hughes after Ethan Rafferty was shown Black.

The introduction of Oisin O’Neill for the second half saw a clinical Armagh take control as a tiring Antrim ran out of steam and ideas but what a fright they gave the odds-on visitors during the opening 45 plus minutes.

Top – Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty grabs Ruairi McCann by the leg, a foul that saw him receive a black card while (Below) – Kavan Keenan takes the resultant penalty but substitue goallkeeper Blaine Hughes was equal to it

The National media will show that Armagh won by 11 points in the end but it masks the fact that this was a rip-roaring contest for three-quarters of the game that will have gone some way to restoring the Saffron pride after a lack-lustre league campaign that ended in relegation to division 4.

The All-Ireland champions were the hottest of favourites as they travelled to Belfast and were expected to canter through this Ulster quarter-final but Antrim were determined from the start to spoil the party and certainly rose to the occasion.

Armagh started brightly and kicked the first three points as Rory Grugan opened his account from a free, and Andrew Murnin and Callum O’Neill followed with two from play to move the visitors 0-3 ahead.

Ryan McQuillan opened Antrim’s account and then Dominic McEnhill landed a two pointer before Ethan Rafferty kicked a two-point free as this game came to life.

Armagh rattled off another three with Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne pulling off a smart save to deny Callum O’Neill, but the home crowd came to life again in the 20th minute when their side was awarded a penalty as Ruairi McCann was grounded as he was about to finish to the net.

Rafferty was shown Black for the resulting penalty but after what seemed an eternity, Blaine Hughes came in to face the penalty and he dived full length to his left to deny Kavan Keenan.

To make matters worse, Grugan kicked a two-point free to push Armagh five ahead, but Antrim again roared back with Byrne kicking a 45, McEnhill with a two-point free and Marc Jordan bringing them right back into contention.

Rafferty returned to the play as Greg McCabe saw his shot tipped over, but Antrim were simply flying and Ryan McQuillan pointed and McBride kicked his second two pointer before Grugan tied it and Antrim lost Keenen to a black card, they went upfield and McBride slung over again.

Darragh McMullan fisted over with the last action of a compelling first half that saw Antrim fans roaring their team into the dressing room with a 0-14 to 0-13 advantage.

McBride extended the gap straight after the break, but Oisin O’Neill’s introduction at half time would pay dividends as he kicked the first of three two-point frees to level.

When Ross McQuillan edged Armagh back in front after 42 minutes, it was a lead they would hold to the finish as Aidan Forker pointed and then the Armagh defence forced a turnover and broke with pace with Tomas McCormack finishing clinically past Mick Byrne.

O’Neill and Grugan added scores, but Antrim again found a reply with McQuillan kicking a 2-pointer and McBride fisting over.

The hosts continued to battle and Ronan Boyle split the posts to bring the gap back to seven, but Antrim were now running on empty as Armagh hit seven on the bounce.

Ryan McQuillan scrambled home for a consolation goal for the Saffrons and it was just reward for the Glenravel youngster who was sharp and dangerous throughout but it is Armagh who advance to the Ulster semi-final while Antrim can now look forward to the Tailteann Cup with renewed confidence.

Scorers for Armagh: R Grugan 0-8 (1xtpf, 4f), O O’Neill 0-6 (3xtpf), C O’Neill 0-4, T McCormack 1-1; E Rafferty 0-3, (1xtpf), R McQuillan 0-3, G McCabe and C McConville 0-2, A Murnin, D McMullan, A Forker, B McCambridge, J Hall 0-1 each.

Scorers for Antrim: P McBride 0-9 (3xtp, 1f), R McQuillan 1-5 (1xtp), D McEnhill 0-4 (tp, tpf), M Byrne 0-2 (45), M Jordan, E Quinn, R Boyle 0-1 each.

Armagh : Ethan Rafferty; Gareth Murphy, Barry McCambridge, Tomás McCormack; Ross McQuillan, Greg McCabe, Jarlath Og Burns; Callum O’Neill, Ciaran Mackin; Darragh McMullan, Rory Grugan, Peter McGrane; Tiernan Kelly, Andrew Murnin, Stefan Campbell.

Subs: Blaine Hughes for T Kelly (20), Oisin O’Neill for B Hughes (HT), Jemar Hall for S Campbell (49), Cian McConville for D McMullan (52), Aidan Forker for A Murnin (53). Blood subs: Jemar Hall for R McQuillan (2-4), Aidan Forker for O O’Neill (42-45).

Antrim: Michael Byrne; Eoghan McCabe, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; James McAuley, Dermot McAleese Marc Jordan; Conor Hand, Conor Stewart; Patrick McBride, Patrick Finnegan, Ronan Boyle; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Dominic McEnhill.

Subs: Eunan Quinn for C Stewart (HT), Niall Burns for M Jordan (46), Ryan Murray for D McEnhill (46), John Morgan for J McAuley (48), Fionn Nahgle for P Finnegan (54).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).

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Ulster Under 20 Football Championship

Tyrone 2-24 Antrim 0-10

PICS BY BERT TROWLEN

At half time in Wednesday evening Ulster Under 20 Football game at O’Neill Park, Dungannon Antrim were still within touch as they trailed by five points 0-12 to 0-07, despite being outplayed for long periods of the first half. However after the change of ends the Red Hands were able to up the pace and pull clear to go on and secure a quarter final place.

Tyrone were on top for most of the first half and were four clear on twenty minute (0-06 to 0-02), three of the points coming from full forward Ruaiir McCullagh while corner forward Lorcan  McMurray hit two and right-half forward Conal Sheehy one, while Moneyglass man Paul Duffin got a 2-pointer for the Saffrons. Corey Walsh hit a second 2-pointer to keep Antrim in touch.

Tyrone pulled away again as centre forward Liam Lawn picked off a point and full forward McCullagh added a 2-pointer, but Antrim full forward Lorcan Phillips pulled a couple back for the Saffrons to close the gap to five by half time.

Reigning All Ireland champions Tyrone soon stretched their lead after the change of ends as the dangerous McCullagh struck again, while centre forward Liam Lawn and midfielder Conor O’Neill also raised white flags. When Tyrone substitute Shea McDermott grabbed his team’s first goal twelve minutes from time Antrim’s fate was sealed as the home team really turned on the style to secure a quarter final meeting with Armagh back in Dungannon next Wednesday evening.

TO SEE MORE OF BERT’S PICS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

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Ulster SFC Quarter-final

Antrim v Armagh

Saturday 12-30 Corrigan Park

All the talking’s over, hail, rain or shine Antrim will meet All Ireland champions Armagh in the quarter-final of the Ulster Senior Football Championship at Corrigan Park on Saturday.

The Saffron footballers and their management showed great resolve and strength of character to ensure the game would go ahead at the West Belfast venue after Ulster Council’s attempt to switch it to Newry.

Enough has been said about that but Antrim’s resolve and strength of character faces as great, or maybe even greater challenge when they face one of the top teams in the country in Saturday’s clash.

In a game that will carry a David v Goliath tag the Saffron are likely to be pushed to their limits but they must have no inhibitions about the size of the task and give it a real lash.

Andy McEntee’s side go into Saturday’s clash, having suffered relegation from division 3 this year but will feel that fate conspired against them in a number of those games.

Antrim had three home games in their league campaign and four away ties and could make an argument that they should have won more than the two that they did win.

They led Fermanagh, Laois and Kildare at periods against those sides and were well in it in their game away to Offaly at half time before losing two players to Red cards early in the second half.

Its history but that Offaly side went on to claim the division 3 title while Antrim will play their football in division 4 next season.

A closer look at nearly all of their games will show that Antrim were in charge in most of them for a period of time but their inability to maintain their best form for the full 70 minutes would ultimately prove their downfall.

There has been an opportunity to address those short comings since their last league outing and the mood coming out of the camp is positive and has been further boosted this week by the news that Marc Jordan could start or at least play a part in Saturday’s game.

The last meeting between these sides was back in 2023 when Armagh had too much for Antrim at the Athletic Grounds and in that encounter too many players looked to be overawed by the occasion.

I don’t expect that to be the case on Saturday. Under Andy McEntee Antrim have a group of players capable of giving a lot more than their league form would suggest.

Paddy McBride and Conor Hand will relish the opportunity to face the reigning All Ireland champions on their own ground while Michael Byrne, Dominic McEnhill, Eoghan McCabe, Niall Burns and the Finnegans all play their football within a stone’s throw of Corrigan.

The South West contingent including captain, Dermot McAleese are all familiar with the Whiterock Road ground and the return of Marc Jordan could provide a massive boost for the underdogs.

At the time of writing no teams had been announced but whoever Armagh select for the encounter will be household names.

A big and vociferous home crowd could be just the tonic as David faces Goliath on the Whiterock and the Saffrons look set to give it a lash and while Antrim will start as long odds outsiders, remember who won that battle between David and Goliath!