Ulster U20 Hurling Championship round-robin
Antrim 1-13 Derry 1-11

ANTRIM opened their Ulster U20 Hurling Championship campaign at a damp Dunsilly on Wednesday night as they dogged it out against Derry in a scrappy affair.

The Saffrons just had that little more quality in attack on the night as they held off a strong Oak Leaf challenge, but at no time were they able to relax in a game dominated by wides and some robust challenges with the greasy conditions making life difficult for both sets of players.

Joseph McLaughlin and Niall McGarel shared seven points between them from play with Jack McCloskey bagging the all-important goal in the opening half, but it was the Antrim defence that stood out as they limited Derry to just 1-2 from play with team captain Eoin Trainor leading the way from centre-back.

The tone for this opening fixture was set early with Derry's centre-back James Friel landing the first of his nine frees on the night from distance in the opening minute, while Antrim's Aodhán McGary responded in kind with six gone to get the hosts on the board.
Friel added another couple before Antrim's first sight of goal with McLaughlin teed-up but missed the target. 

The Cushendall man did make up for this soon after as he blocked down a Derry clearance and split the posts from out on the left - the game's first score from play taking 13 minutes to arrive, while another exchange of pointed frees followed before Derry's first from play as the impressive Jack Cassidy fetched from the sky and popped in Eunan Boylan to make it 0-5 to 0-3.

The Antrim goal would arrive on 24 minutes but came at the second attempt as Christy McGarry's shot for a point came down off the post and dropped to Aidan Scullion, but Derry goalkeeper Cathal McElhinney made a save, yet could do nothing as the ball broke to Jack McCloskey who thumped home.

Back-to-back points from McLaughlin followed as it appeared Antrim were getting into a flow late in the half, while an exchange of late scores left the Saffrons 1-6 to 0-6 ahead at the break.

A long free from Daire McMullan extended the ga just after the break, but on 34 minutes Derry roared back with Cassidy out in front to gather an inviting low ball before turning and sending a rasping shot low to the net. 

A pair of Friel frees nudged the visitors ahead briefly before McGarel restored parity and Antrim were back in front again with the score of the night as they turned over a Derry attack with Eoin Trainor emerging from the ruck and sending an excellent ball down to McGarel on the left who dissected the posts from a tight angle on the sideline.

Friel tied it up again with a free on 45 minutes as it was clear this game was going down to the wire, but a pair of McLaughlin frees gave Antrim a little breathing space.
Cassidy replied with a fine score at the other end before Christy McGarry raised a gallop to burst through and send as rasping shot just over to make it a two-point game with four to play.

Antrim goalscorer Jack McCloskey in possession
2Gallery

Antrim goalscorer Jack McCloskey in possession

Cassidy was proving Derry's main threat as they went in search of scores and he was almost in for a goal as he cut in on the right, but good defending gave him little room to get a shot off as the ball went wide, but a Friel free reduced the gap to the minimum moments later.

Derry's top-scorer had been dead-eyed all night and had the chance to level with the game ticking into added time, but this time he was off-target, while Cassidy was again snuffed out as he made a charge at goal late on.

The points were finally safe for Antrim when McGarel intercepted a stray put-out late and returned it over the bar as the Saffrons edged home to get off to a winning start in the competition. 

It was double joy for Antrim on the night as earlier, their minors made it two wins from two in Ulster as they romped to a 7-13 to 0-8 win over Derry following an equally impressive start against Donegal at the weekend.

Orrin O’Connor netted early to set the Saffrons on their way with Roan McGarry adding a second before Ronan Fitzgerald got the third, while centre forward  Darragh Donnelly added a fourth to put Antrim 4-9 to 0-5 ahead at the break.

It was a similar pattern after the change of ends with O’Connor and Donnelly both grabbing their seconds goals. O’Connor was to go on and complete his hat-trick, while Fitzgerald added a second to his tally in a runaway win.  

ANTRIM: E Richmond; B McGarry, R McCormick, D Wilson; C Boyle, E Trainor, D McMullan (0-1 free); E McFerran, A McGarry (0-4 frees); J McLaughlin (0-3), S McIntosh, C McGarry (0-1); N McGarel (0-4), A Scullion, J McCloskey (1-0).
Subs: E McCartan for C Boyle (9), C McKeown for E McCartan (22), L O'Connor for S McIntosh 940), R Mort for A Scullion (52).

DERRY: C McElhinney; J McAllister, M McEldowney, A McBride; A Duffin, J Friel (0-9 frees), N McGonagle; R McNamee, E Boylan (0-1); C O'Kane, E Cassidy, R O Mianain; R Hendry, J Cassidy (1-1), C Murtagh.
Subs: R McLaughlin for R Henry (14), K Doherty for R McNamee (45), C Bradley for E Cassidy (52).

REFEREE: Barry Winters (Tyrone)