Tailteann Cup, Group Two
Antrim 0-20 Sligo 0-20

A BARNBURNER of a game at Kingspan Breffni in Cavan on Sunday between Antrim and Sligo ended in a draw, but the outcome was more beneficial who topped Group Two of the Tailteann Cup on scoring difference.

Both teams had won their opening games against Tipperary and Wexford, meaning it was a straight shootout for top spot in the group and shootout it was, especially in the first half of a game that was hugely entertaining from start to finish.

Twice Antrim came back from significant deficits as they trailed by five at one stage in the opening half, yet rallied to edge ahead at the break.

Four down late in the game and it seemed as though Sligo were on course for the win, but the Saffrons battled back again to even it up, but couldn't conjure the winning score they needed to take possession of top spot in the group and avoid next week's preliminary quarter-finals.

Instead, Antrim will host London, while sligo can sit back and await the identity of their quarter-final opponents who they will have home advantage over in a fortnight.

Niall Murphy led the way for the Yeatsmen with eight points and he had plenty of assistance fro Alan McLaughlin and Sean Carrabine, while for Antrim, Ryan McQuillan took some excellent scores, with substitute Connor Hand landing two in that final push that earned a point, but fires Antrim into next week's preliminary round.

"It's a bit frustrating," said Antrim manager Andy McEntee afterwards.

"I suppose they had a couple of wides in the second half too, but we had too really good goal chances, which we've been doing and not taking. Either one of those would have made a big difference at the end.

"I was a bit frustrated at that (line-ball for Sligo) call at the end. I spoke to the linesman after and he said 'if I made a mistake, I'm sorry', so what can you say? That's how fine it was as we get a line ball and they don;t get a point, so we go through as winners ,but that's the way. We just have to dust ourselves down and get ready for next week.

"Loads of character and fitness. If there are any neutrals here, that would have been a pretty good game to watch, but a little bit too open for my liking."

The tone was set early as Colm McLarnon kicked Antrim into the lead with Seán Carrabine replying, before Alan McLaughlin and Patrick O'Connor put the Yeatsmen into the lead.

Each time Antrim got up for a score, Sligo would immediately reply with Niall Murphy and Darragh Cummins on target, while Ryan McQuillan began to find his range.

But a run of five scores out of six seemed to suggest Sligo were taking a grip as they led 0-11 to 0-6 after 25 minutes of a very open half with both sides keen to get on the front foot.

Antrim had been enjoying success off their kick-out, but Sligo were beginning to put pressure on Michael Byrne as they were getting to grips around the middle and Antrim had yet to put two scores together, but that would change as the Saffrons rattled off five on the spin to level as Patrick McBride, Jospeh Finnegan and Marc Jordan chipped in  along with McQuillan.

Dermot McAleese would make a vital block on Cian Lally at the other end and after another exchange of pouts McQuillan notched his fourth of the half to give Antrim a slender 0-13 to 0-12 lead at the end of an excellent opening half.

Murphy tied it up early in the second period, but only after Antrim's Paddy McAleer found the side-netting with a decent goal opportunity, as the sides continued to slug it out.

The scores weren't as plentiful as the first half, but it was nonetheless tight as neither could fully take a grip in the third quarter.

Murphy and Nathan Mullen edged the Yeatsmen in front and they responded twice as Antrim drew level.

The gap remained one on 58 minutes when Marc Jordan was put through on goal, but blazed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Sligo replied with points from Murphy, Carrabine and Mark Walsh to push the gap to four as the minutes ticked down and they looked in a good place again.

However, there was another Antrim surge as Conor Hand kicked two, McQuillan brought his tally to six and then goalkeeper Michael Byrne levelled from a free.

A draw was no good for Antrim and they pushed to wind a winner, but Sligo gave them little room to manoeuvre and in the end, a shot to nothing from Eoin Hynds went outside the post as Sligo took the draw they needed to top the group and enjoy the bye week, while Antrim return next week at home.

Sligo's Niall Murphy top-scored with eight points
2Gallery

Sligo's Niall Murphy top-scored with eight points

"They were significantly better than the teams we've faced before, so they will be a serious opposition for the teams going forward in a quarter-final and they will be in a quarter-final," Sligo manager Tony McEntee said of the Saffrons.

"They are a tough team to play against and although I'm disappointed we didn't get the win, we didn't play as well as I would have liked.

"In that first half, we looked really good when we went five points up, but then let them score five after that, so we were hot and cold for large parts of it.

"The second half, we just struggled our way through it, so it wasn't one of our better displays this year. Not having played that well, we finish with 20 points on the board. It was good, open game of football and we have gone through to the quarter-finals, so we shouldn't be so harsh on ourselves.

"We most definitely have work to do, but I think that's good. It's good we got that challenge today, good we found out more about ourselves and good we can reflect back and improve in two weeks for a quarter-final we can prepare properly for."

ANTRIM: M Byrne (0-1f); D Lynch, E Walsh, K Keenan; N Burns (0-1), J Finnegan (0-1), D McAleese; P McAleer (0-1), C Hynds; C McLarnon (0-1), P McBride (0-4, 2f), R McCann (Creggan, 0-2); R McQuillan (0-6, 1f), R McCann (Aghagallon), M Jordan (0-1).
Subs: D McEnhill for P McBride (52), C Hand (0-2) for N Burns (52), J McDonnell for K Keenan (63), C Johnston for R McCann (Aghagallon, 65), E Hynds for C McLarnon (69)

SLIGO: A Delaney; E Lyons, E McGuinness, P McNamara; B Cox, D Cummins (0-1), N Mullen (0-1); P Kilcoyne, C Mulligan; C Lally (0-1), A McLaughlin (0-3), S Carrabne (0-3); M Gordon, P O’Connor (0-2), N Murphy (0-8, 3f)
Subs: M Walsh (0-1) for M Gordon (58), E Smith for C Lally (61), J Lavin for P McNamara (64), L Deignan for P O'Connor (70+2)

REFEREE: S Lonergan (Tipperary)