Ulster Senior Football Championship, quarter-final
Antrim 1-23 Armagh 1-34
IN the end, it all went to script at Corrigan Park, but the 11-point margin of victory for Armagh over Antrim masks what was a rip-roaring affair for three-quarters of this Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final.
The All-Ireland champions were the hottest of favourites to prevail against a team that suffered relegation to Division Four in the League and they got the job done with a bit to spare, but the Saffrons rose to this occasion and then some.
The furore over the venue of this game added to the hype and Antrim fed off much of the buzz they had created to produce their best showing of the season and although it was not enough to cause a shock that didn't seem out of the question for long stages as they put in a performance they can feel rightly proud of.
Patrick McBride was in top form with nine points overall, including three first-half two-pointers, but overall, Armagh carried more of a threat with 13 different scorers overall including eight points from their top-scorer, Rory Grugan and Oisin O’Neill came on at the break to kick three two-point frees.
But the Saffrons came away with so much credit as they parked their disappointment in the League to stand up and deliver a display they owed themselves and the home support could only feel pride at what they delivered.
“I guess that's the nature of these new rules really, the scoreline can be a little bit misleading at times,” said Antrim manager Andy McEntee.
“They were better in the second half, they were getting scores way too easy. We maybe, whether we ran out of legs or ran out of bodies, I'm not sure, but just a couple of key things went against us at vital stages and we needed everything going for us to get a result on a day like that.
“We needed them to be below par and we needed to be right up there. I think it's very positive for the group as a whole.
“The truth of the matter is, unless we have that, we're fairly average. And when we do apply ourselves in that manner, we're decent enough.
“They know they've put in a good shift. Nobody likes to lose, but it's probably a positive note to go into the Tailteann Cup.”
Conor Hand comes away with the ball
It was all going to form early with Armagh landing the first three points as Rory Grugan opened his account from a free, while Andrew Murnin and Callum O'Neill got their name on the board before the hosts came alive and with the wind at his back, Patrick McBride kicked the first of his three first-half two-pointers.
Ryan McQuillan levelled and then Dominic McEnhill landed a two before Ethan Rafferty kicked a two-point free as this game was turning into a thriller.
Armagh rattled off another three with Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne forced into a smart stop from Callum O'Neill, but the home crowd came to life again in the 20th minute when their side was awarded a penalty as Ruairi McCann was taken out when about to finish to the net with Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty black-carded in the process.
Blaine Hughes came in to face the penalty and his first act was to make a great save from Kavan Keenan who was made to wait for over two minutes before he got to take the award.
To compound matters, Grugan kicked a two-point free to push Armagh five ahead, but Antrim again roared back with Byrne kicking a 45, McEnhill with a two-point free and Marc Jordan with a single.
Rafferty returned to the play but as an outfielder with Greg McCabe seeing a shot tipped over, but Antrim were up for this challenge as after Ryan McQuillan pointed, McBride kicked his second two and although Grugan tied it and Antrim lost Keenen to a black card, they went upfield and McBride slung over again.
Darragh McMullan pulled one back with the last act of a wild first half that saw Antrim fans roaring their team into the dressing room with a 0-14 to 0-13 advantage.
McBride extended the gap straight after the break, but Oisin O'Neill's introduction at the half would pay dividends as he kicked the first of three two-point frees to level.
When Ross McQuillan edged Armagh back in front after 42 minutes, it was a lead they would hold to the finish as Aidan Forker - initially introduced as a temporary replacement - pointed and then from their defence forcing a turnover, Armagh broke with pace and Tomas McCormack blasted to the roof of the net.
O'Neill and Grugan added scores but Antrim again found a reply with McQuillan kicking a two and McBride fisting over.
The hosts continued to stay just about in touch but when Ronan Boyle thumped over to bring the gap back to seven, the batteries were running out for the hosts as Armagh poured on the scores late with seven on the spin as the wides stacked up for the hosts.
A Ryan McQuillan goal for the hosts late on was a bit of deserved consolation for what they had brought to this game, but that is all it was as Armagh marched into the last four.
Blaine Hughes saves Kavan Keenan's penalty 
“It was a big battle, but just delighted to get through,” said Armagh boss, Kieran McGeeney.
“We've had a rough few weeks with injuries. I think we had only maybe three or four from last year's (All-Ireland final) team. There's a lot of debutants out there today and a lot of fellas who hadn't much time (on the pitch).
“Ulster Championship is always going to be a good game. Everyone’s got pace and good footballers - Antrim’s no different.
“I worked here a long time ago and they had loads of talent, so we knew what we were going to come up against. Paddy (McBride) in particular, had three belters, two-pointers, so it's good to come out with a victory and still have a real battle on our hands to get game time into the legs.
“It's just a matter of trying to get like a wee bit stronger the next day.”
ANTRIM: M Byrne (0-3, 1x45); E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, M Jordan (0-1); C Hand, C Stewart; P McBride (0-9, 3xtp, 1f), P Finnegan, R Boyle (0-1); R McQuillan (1-5, 1xtp), R McCann, D McEnhill (0-4, 1xtp, 1xtpf)
Subs: E Quinn (0-1) for C Stewart (HT), N Burns for M Jordan (46), R Murray for D McEnhill (46), J Morgan for J McAuley (48), F Nagle for P Finnegan (54)
ARMAGH: E Rafferty (0-3, 1xtpf); G Murphy, B McCambridge (0-1), T McCormack (1-1); R McQuillan (0-3), G McCabe (0-2), Conniare Mackin; C O'Neill (0-4), J Og Burns; D McMullan (0-1), R Grugan (0-8, 1xtpf, 4f), P McGrane; T Kelly, A Murnin (0-1), S Campbell.
Subs: B Hughes for T Kelly (20), O O'Neill (0-6, 3xtpf) for B Hughes (HT), J Hall (0-1) for S Campbell (49), C McConville (0-2) for D McMullan (52), A Forker (0-1) for A Murnin (53)
Blood subs: J Hall for R McQuillan (2-4), A Forker for O O'Neill (42-45)
REFEREE: B Cassidy (Derry)
