Ulster Senior Football Championship, preliminary round
Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8
IT was a night of disappointment for Antrim in the Athletic Grounds as their hopes of causing a shock. against Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship were wiped out in a fairly emphatic manner.
Nine points was the difference at the end with the hosts long since out of sight as they took a grip early and were able to keep the Saffrons at arm's length thereafter.
Conor Turbitt was the star of the show with eight excellent points for the hosts, but was ran close for the accolade by midfielder Shane McPartlan who hit four of his own and was the architect of many more.
For Antrim, they just took too long to get a foothold in this game and were eight back by he time they did.
Defensively, they were under severe pressure but a lot was of their own making with loose passes not what was required on this occasion, while in attack, Aghagallon's Ruairi McCann proved a menace, while substitutes Adam Loughran, Patrick Finnegan and Odhran Eastwood all contributed to a mini revival that saw impressive midfielder Conor Stewart find the net.
However, each time Andy McEntee's side though they had a glimmer of hope, the door was swiftly bolted as the hosts were able to conjure up points when they needed.
Some of the full time stats from today's game 🏐📈#Ulster2023 pic.twitter.com/Hzp8PX5pMa
— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) April 8, 2023
Armagh played in Division One this year, while Antrim were in Division Three and this was apparent as the Orchardmen were just the quicker, crisper and sharper in all they did, nipping into the turn the ball over time after time.
Antrim didn't do themselves any favours either, running into challenges and playing stray passes that were an invite to the hosts to intercept and break at pace and this was epitomised by Conor Turbitt's first of the half.
That made it 0-3 to 0-0 after points from Rory Grugan and Ciaran Mackin, plus a great stop by Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne from Jason Duffy.
Antrim just couldn't figure a way to get anything going in attack and although they were allowed the ball at times in certain positions, once in the scoring zone they were getting no further.
Six wides and two into Ethan Rafferty's hands in the opening 35 didn't help their cause, although it was from a dropping Ryan Murray free on 17 minutes when they finally got off the mark as Aghagallon's Ruairi McCann made a nuisance of himself, won the break and fisted over to reduce the arrears to four at that point.
But Armagh would double that advantage as the scores flowed through Shane McPartlan, Grugan (free), Tiernan Kelly and the pacy Jemar Hall who nipped into gather a loose ball and thump over before Antrim hands could get there.
It was already looking like game over given how this game had played out, but a pair of excellent points from Conor Stewart and Eoghan McCabe gave the Saffrons' support something to cheer, yet momentum was broken with yet another stray ball intercepted and this time is was Stefan Campbell the beneficiary to score.
Ryan Murray kicked an injury-time free and the six-point margin at the break - 0-10 to 0-4 - was a decent reflection on the gap in this game.
Aidan Forker, Aaron McKay asnd James Morgan give Creggan's Ruairí McCann nowhere to go
Antrim needed something to ignite their challenge in the second period and they did seem to start with a little more purpose, but no points as Armagh kicked the first three, yet Agahagallon's McCann came close to a goal when an arrowed ball in from Patrick Finnegan cannoned off him and just outside the post with the net ready to bulge.
Pat Shivers and the hugely impressive McPartlan traded points before the travelling support were given a bit to cheer as first, James McAuley thumped over and on 52 minutes, an excellent break from Marc Jordan saw him put Conor Stewart through to finish low to the net.
This brought the score at 0-14 to 1-6 and another goal would have made things very interesting and after a pair of Armagh points, the chance came when again Agahagllon's McCann proved to be a menace in and around goal, getting a touch to a loose ball just yards out but it was stopped on the line and scrambled behind for a 45.
Conor Stewart reacts to a missed chance
A pair of Turbitt points from frees put any notions out of Antrim's heads with Creggan's Ruairi McCann replying with one of his own, but Turbitt capped a great evening with another two - one from play and one a mark - to bring his tally to eight.
Antrim had another late goal chance when Adam Loughran was through but missed the target - their fourth big chance of the second period - while Odhran Eastwood did kick a consolation point, but it was just that as Armagh had long since secured their passage into the quarter-final against Cavan, while Antrim must now ponder the Tailteann Cup.
ARMAGH: Ethan Rafferty (0-1 free); James Morgan, Aaron McKay, Aidan Forker; Ciaran Mackin (0-1), Greg McCabe, Barry McCambridge; Ben Crealey, Shane McPartlan (0-4); Stefan Campbell (0-1), Rory Grugan (0-3, 1 free), Jason Duffy; Jemar Hall (0-1), Conor Turbitt (0-8, 3 frees, 1 mark), Tiernan Kelly (0-1)
Subs: Ross McQuillan for J Morgan (50), Stephen Sheridan for B Crealey (53), Aidan Nugent for J Hall (56), Cian McConville for S Campbell (63), Ciaran Higgins for B McCambridge (65)
ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Eoghan McCabe (0-1), Peter Healy, James McAuley (0-1); Patrick McCormick, Joseph Finnegan, Marc Jordan; Conor Stewart (1-1), Kevin Small; Colm McLarnon, Ruairi McCann (Creggan) (0-1 free), Patrick McBride; Pat Shivers (0-1), Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon) (0-1), Ryan Murray (0-1 free)
Subs: Patrick Finnegan for C McLarnon (24), Odhran Eastwood (0-1) for R Murray (46), Adam Loughran for P McBride (46), Dominic McEnhill for P Shivers (62), Jack Dowling for K Small (65)
REFEREE: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
