TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Junior Football Championship, Group B
Antrim 7-19 New York 0-8
GOAL-hungry Antrim booked their place in the semi-finals of the All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship as they demolished New York at a sunny and windy Davitt Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Saffrons led by 12 at the break with the excellent Orlaith Prenter leading the way, but went through the gears in the third quarter to add five further goals to their two in the opening period with Maria O'Neill scoring a hat-trick over the course of the game.
New York would have three players sin-binned in the second period that perhaps contributed to the winning tally, yet it would not be accurate to say it was the reason for their defeat ass the gap with 15 by the time they had picked up their first yellow card.
It was a good day for Antrim who made it two wins from two in the competition and can now turn their attention to next month's semi-finals where a return to Croke Park will be on offer as they bid to go one further than last year by claiming the title.
Both sides passed up early scoring opportunities, but it was the hosts - playing with the aid of a fairly strong wind - who got off the mark on four minutes as a shot for a point came down off the post, was worked back to Orlaith Prenter who curled over.
Prenter would be in excellent form on the day and two minutes later she was in for the first Antrim goal when Cathy Carey intercepted a stray kick-out and played the ball into her Moneyglass club-mate who thumped low to the net.
Prenter would add a point from a free before New York made their first dent on the scoreboard nine minutes in as Marie Dargan kicked a free.
The ball breaks away during Sunday's game
This did little to stem the tide as Antrim continued to push on with Aine Tubridy playing a neat one-two opened the space to curl over, while a long ball downfield was gathered by Prenter who cut infield and curled over one of her own.
Antrim's second goal really should have arrived on 14 minutes when Marie O'Neill was played in on the right, but short too high.
The Moneyglass woman would make amends minutes later with Carey again the created as she availed of an advantage to put O'Neill through and this time the finish was exquisite with the outside of her boot into the top right corner of the net.
New York would get into the game a little aided by a whistle-happy referee who awarded three frees that were converted by Pauls Clarke (two) and Kelly Brady, but on each occasion, Antrim hits back through Prenter (free), Carey and Lara Dahunsi who did brilliantly to block down an attempted clearance, gather and fist over.
The Saffrons would finish the half well as Prenter curled over off her left this time, but will have been disappointed with the last act of the half as Aine Devlin was trailed down for a penalty, but Prenter's effort clipped the top of the bar and went over for a point to bring her personal tally for the opening half to 1-6 with Antri 2-10 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
With wind advantage to come, New York would have been hopeful of finding a way back in the second period despite the 12-point deficit, but Antrim were in no mood to offer any encouragement as right from the throw-in they went on the attack and Maria O'Neill had the ball in the net in a matter of seconds.
The situation went from bad to worse for the visitors when Marie Dargan picked up the first of her side's yellow cards on 33 minutes which led to 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Antrim took full advantage and over the next 12 minutes, had romped clear with Dahunsi getting the run underway with a point before an excellent flowing move resulted in Bronagh Devlin squaring to Tie Devlin to palm home.
At the other end, New York will have wondered how they didn't hit back when Kelly Keating appeared to do everything right when rounding Antrim goalkeeper Anna McCann, but somehow missed the target.
The Antrim team ahead of the game 
The Saffrons swept straight up the other end with Bronagh Devlin lashing just over the bar, but the fifth goal would arrive immediately after as Prenter played a superb ball to O'Neill who found Devlin and while Mairead Tamayne saved the initial shot, the ball squirted free for Devlin to slot home.
Moments later and a sixth goal, this time Lara Dahunsi played in to produce a composed low finish and after Michelle Magee blasted over, Maria O'Neill found herself in on the left to rifle to the net, completing her hat-trick of goals and pushing the gap out to 30.
Things would go from bad to worse for New York as Margaret Brady was sweet to the bin on a rather harsh yellow card, while a pair of Antrim frees from Prenter - who would leave the field with an injury - and Cathy Carey extended the gap further entering the final quarter.
The first score from play for New York of the second period would arrive through Lauren Rodican before they would then lose Megan Fitzpatrick to the sin-bin on a 53rd-minute yellow card with the free played into Maria O'Neill to score.
Kelly Brady kicked a free for New York with Aoife Taggart responding, but the visitors kept plugging away and were rewarded with two fine points from play by Brady and then Rodican, but Antri would have the final say with Michelle Magee and Cathy Carey completing the rout to secure Antrim's passage into the last four.
ANTRIM: A McCann; M McKenna, A McFarland, N McIntosh; M Mulholland, S Tennyson, S O'Neill; C Emerson, L Dahunsi (1-2); A Tubridy (0-1) C Carey (0-3, 2 frees), M O'Neill (3-2); B Devlin (1-1), O Prenter (1-7, 0-3 frees, 0-1 pen), A Devlin (1-0).
Subs: D Coleman for S O'Neill (HT), M Magee (0-2) for C Emerson (HT), E Murphy for L Dahunsi (43), A Taggart (0-1) for B Devlin (43), G Shannon for O Prenter (46)
NEW YORK: M Tamayne; A Mathers, S Roche, K Moore; L Rodican (0-2), C O'Neill, S McGourty; M Brady, P Clarke (0-2, both frees); M Fitzpatrick, E Faarley, C Traynor; M Dargan (0-1 free), K Brady (0-3, 2 frees), K Keating.
Subs: S Ní Bhraonáin for C Traynor (HT), M Donohoe for P Clarke (36), L Sheahan for A Mathers (47), C McBrien for S Roche (52), A White for L Rodican (60)
REFEREE: Angela Gallagher (Dublin)
