Saffrons retain Under 21 Title
Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling Under-21 Ulster Final:
Antrim 0-21 Armagh 0-16
Antrim retained the Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship trophy at Casement Park on Wednesday evening, but it was far from plain sailing against a highly motivated and determined Armagh side.
Five points separated the teams in the end but in truth the scoreline somewhat flattered Antrim as Armagh were unlucky on a few occasions, most notably in the first half when Conor Coulter’s shot for goal rocketed back off the Antrim crossbar with the goalkeeper well beaten.
The Armagh boys were right in the game until the final minutes and it took a late scoring burst from man of the match Darren Hamill and team captain Cormac Donnelly to see the Saffrons home.
In an entertaining game Armagh held the upper hand for most of the opening half and with midfielder Kieran McKernan in fine form they led on seven occasions, and it wasn’t until the final minute of the first-half that Antrim got their noses in front when they edged 0-9 to 0-8 ahead from a Darren Hamill free.
Armagh regained the lead in the early stages of the second-half as some woeful Antrim defending created chance after chance for the Orchard boys, but as the game progressed Hamill, Donnelly, PJ O’Connell and Michael Armstrong slowly began to make their influence felt.
Donnelly, who was captaining the side for the second year in succession, hit some great long range points while Hamill picked off some fines scores from both frees and play to seal a very hard fought win.
Antrim now go forward to face Tipperary in the All Ireland semi-final but they will be well aware that their performance would have to improve dramatically if they are to trouble the Munster champions.
ANTRIM – Eoin Gillan, Kevin Molly, Stephen Shannon, Liam McAuley, Conor Carson, Cormac Donnelly, James Campbell, PJ O’Connell, Conor Rocks, Michael Devlin, Thomas McCann, Eamond Laverty, Michael Armstrong, Darren Hamill, Christopher Quinn.
Subs – Terry McAllister for McAuley; Gerard Laverty for Devlin; Shane Woulahan for Rocks.
ARMAGH – Patrick Kelly, Ryan Comiskey, Paul Gaffney, JJ Hughes, Stephen McNaughton, Nathan Curry, Donal Carville, Kieran McKernan, Martin Maguire, James King, Michael Lennon, David Carville, Conor Corvan, Conor Coulter, Martin Moan
REFEREE – Declan Magee (Down)
Report: antrim.gaa.ie
