Antrim make it 9 in a row

Ulster Senior Hurling Championship Final:
Antrim 4-22  Down 1-12

Antrim made it nine Ulster GAA Hurling Senior Championships in a row as they sauntered past Down to triumph by 4-22 to 1-12 in the provincial final at Casement Park on Sunday.

Leading by 18 points at half-time, the home side were always in control of this game, the only they had to play in their home province this year due to also competing in Leinster.

This was the perfect way for the Saffrons to warm up for next week’s qualifier fixture against Carlow at the same venue, and there was absolutely no sign of complacency from Dinny Cahill’s side.

At half-time, Antrim led by 2-15 to 0-3, Liam Watson and Karl McKeegan getting the goals and augmenting their own personal tallies with four and three points respectively, Antrim having had 1-7 registered before Down made their first impression on the scoreboard.

With McKeegan getting his second goal after the break and PJ O’Connell also finding the net, there was no sign of Antrim letting up, though Down did manage to restrict them to seven points after the break.

Unfortunately for the Mourne Men, though, they did not come near to finding the scores necessary to overhaul their opponents, though Paul Keith did put some level of respectability on the scoreboard with a goal for them.