OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, Group One
Sarsfield's 3-17 Ardoyne 0-8 

SARSFIELD'S banked top spot in Group One of the Antrim Intermediate Football Championship as they powered to victory over Ardoyne at the Bear Pit on Friday.

The visitors needed a huge win to give themselves any hope of reaching the knockout stages, but when Garry Lennon thumped to the net after just 60 seconds for the Paddies, it already looked bleak for the North Belfast men.

Lennon would finish with 1-5 to his name with all but one point from play, while Brian Healy posted an identical tally and Tomás Skillen 1-4 as the hosts' attacking prowess was too much for Ardoyne to handle.

Niall McKenna also kicked two excellent points in an excellent display from midfield as they topped the group with three wins from three to book a quarter-final with the second-placed team in Group Four.

Lennon's early goal set the tone with Healy opening his account from a mark as Ardoyne just seemed a little unsure of themselves going forward in the early stages, but a point from their best of the evening, Aidan McNeill, appeared to steady them.

Conor McLaughlin challenges Philip McPeake
2Gallery

Conor McLaughlin challenges Philip McPeake

Points from Cathal Keown and a Conor McLaughlin free in reply to Healy's second of the evening suggested we were in for a close encounter, but Sarsfield's took a firm grip and didn't let go with Lennon dissecting the posts off his left boot from an unfavourable angle, while he and Healy added further points before the second goal arrived on 21 minutes.

Caolan McKernan read a stray kick-out to gather and sailed a perfect ball into the unmarked Skilled who finished low to the net.

Aidan McNeill would land points either side of a fine effort from McKenna who shrugged off a challenge to point and another from Healy over his shoulder as Sarsfield's took a 2-7 to 0-5 lead into the half.

There would be no let-up from the hosts after the break as they crushed any lingering hopes Ardoyne may have had with a flurry of early points.

Skillen gathered a loose ball and thumped over before racing thought to fist over, while Lennon kicked a free, Skillen added another from play and Daniel Smyth thumped over from range to push the gap out to 13 10 minutes into the second period.

It was already looking like a lost cause for Ardoyne, but they kept playing with McNeill kicking a free and Kevin Lynch bursting through for a score, but when McLaughlin free cancelled out another Skillen point on 47 minutes, Ardoyne would not add to their tally over the final quarter of an hour.

Sarsfield's continued to push on with a Garry Lennon point and goal number three arrived on 52 minutes as Healy burst in on the right and sent a rocket of a shot high into the net.

Lennon and Niall McAlea would add further points with McKenna having the final say in stoppage time with a fantastic score from an angle to complete an excellent night for Sarsfield's who march on, while it's the end of the line for Ardoyne whose inferior scoring difference means they can't advance regardless of what happens in Saturday's other game in the group between Dunloy and St Patrick's, Lisburn.

SARSFIELD'S: M Brady; A McGarrigle, M McPolin, M Johnston; P McPeake, D McKernan, C McKernan; G Lennon (1-5, 0-1f), N McKenna (0-2); J McNally, N McAlea (0-1), K Floyd; T Skillen (1-4, 0-1M), D Smyth (0-1), B Healy (1-5, 0-1f, 0-1M).
Subs: P Herron for A McGarrigle (45), P O'Kane for D Smyth (50), E Quinn for T Skillen (50), R Carson for G Lennon (53), P Murray for D McKernan (55).

ARDOYNE: T Hughes; P Montgomery, SJ Rooney, C Carter; E Corrigan, K Lynch (0-1), J McNeill; O McVicker, D McCormack; A McNeill (0-4, 1f), C Keown (0-1), D Moore; P Marley, C McNeill, C McLaughlin (0-2f).
Subs: R McGranaghan for C Carter (35), C Magee for D Moore (47), O Mullan for P Montgomery (57), O Hickey for O McVicker (60).

REFEREE: Colm McDonald (St Gall's)