Antrim retain U21 Hurling crown

Bord Gáis Energy Ulster U21 Hurling Championship Final:
Antrim 2-20 Derry 1-12

Antrim won their fourth Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship in a row when they beat Derry in Wednesday evening’s final at the Morgan Athletic Grounds, Armagh. The Saffrons were in command for most of the game, and a superb goal from corner-forward Stephen Smyth in the sixth minute gave them early dominance.

Derry got back into the game when full-forward Shane Farren rattled in an excellent goal and point from a free soon afterwards by the same player had them level, but a goal from Antrim team captain Conor McCann in the nineteenth minute swung the game back in the Saffron’s favour and they went on lead by 2-10 to 1-08 at the break.

The second-half saw Antrim tighten their grip on the game and could have had three more goals in the second-half had it not been for excellent saves by Derry netminder Oisin O’Doherty who pulled off top class saves to deny Aiden McKeown, Conor McCann and Stephen Smyth.

Scorers:
Antrim: C McCann 1-4 (1f), S Smith 1-2, M Devlin 0-4, S McAfee, J Black (1f) 0-3 each, K McKernan 0-2, C Laverty, A McKeown 0-1 each.
Derry: S Farren 1-4 (3f), A Grant 0-3, T McCloskey, N Ferris 0-2 each, C Gilmore 0-1.

Antrim: J O’Mullan; C Murray, R Gillan, F Donnelly; J McShane, M Donnelly, J McCouaig; A McKeown, S McAfee; M Devlin, K McKiernan, J Black; S Smith, C McCann, C Laverty. Subs: C Morgan for Donnelly (39), D McKinley for Devlin (47), P McNaughton for Black (55), S Devine for Murray (56), N McFadden for McCann (59).

Derry: O O’Doherty; M Warnock, C McGurk, C McIntyre; C Convery, K McKaigue, E Cassidy; C Gilmore, D O’Neill; N Ferris, A Grant, A Armstrong; T McCloskey, S Farren, D Shields. Subs: MJ Groogan for Warnock (h-t), R Farren for Cassidy (40), M Taggart for Groogan (46), C Lynch for McIntry 46, C O’Loan for Shields (49).

Referee: D Magee (Down)