Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final
Armagh 4-15 Antrim 0-14
ANTRIM exited the Ulster Senior Football Championship following a 13-point defeat to a more clinical Armagh side in the Athletic Grounds on Sunday.
The winning margin probably flattered Kieran McGeeney’s men, who now face Monaghan in the provincial semi-final.
The Saffrons fared well in a keenly-contested opening half with Rory Grugan’s goal on 11 minutes helping the hosts to a 1-6 to 0-7 lead at the break.
However, the game swung firmly in favour of the Orchard County when they were awarded and converted a penalty prior to the second water break following a mix-up in the Antrim defence.
Luke Mulholland’s short kick-out found James Laverty, but the Cargin man was soon under pressure from Rory Grugan and he kicked the ball back for Mulholland to come and collect – something not permitted under new rules brought in for this season.
The Aghagallon goalkeeper backtracked rather than clearing his lines and Grugan swooped in and plotted a path straight for goal and Mulholland fouled the Armagh forward as he got his pass away. Rian O’Neill finished the move into the net, but referee Sean Hurson brought play back for the penalty.
O’Neill made no mistake from the spot, hitting his shot low to Mulholland’s left to put Armagh 2-10 to 0-9 ahead.
The home side men hit further goals in the fourth quarter via substitutes Conor Turbitt and Tieran Kelly and, speaking after the game, Antrim boss Enda McGinley felt the 13-point loss was an unfair reflection on the game.
Antrim boss Enda McGinley felt a 13-point defeat wasn't a fair reflection on the game as his side bowed out of the Championship 
“I’m just gutted. Bottom line, and it will sound daft to those outside the camp, but I’ve always said it, the county team becomes somewhat of a bubble,” stated McGinley.
“You convince yourself that it is possible and I would still believe it is possible. Fine margins surely. . . we knew that.
“My absolute belief today was that we had enough footballers on the pitch and the wherewithal to stay with Armagh. My one fear is that small mistakes, which we seen throughout the League, would be punished harder against Armagh. I think that, unfortunately, proved to be the case.
“I would argue that the scoreline is possibly harsh on us. The bottom line we have to man up, that’s the scoreline as it was.”
The sides shared the opening four points of the game with O’Neill hitting two frees for Armagh with Ryan Murray doing likewise for the Saffrons.
Armagh plundered their first goal when Andrew Murnin palmed a long delivery into the path of Stefan ‘Soupy’ Campbell, who set-up Grugan for a well-worked goal.
When centre-back Ciaron O’Hanlon ghosted through unchallenged to hit a point moments later, the signs were ominous for McGinley’s side.
However, the Saffrons rallied well and a free from Odhran Eastwood and a booming point off Niall McKeever’s left boot was followed by a brilliant point from Paddy McBride which cut the gap back to a single point.
Orchard full-back Connaire Mackin followed O’Hanlon’s lead by getting forward for a good point to give Armah a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at the first water break, but a stunning effort from Antrim wing-back Dermot McAleese brought his side back to within a point on the restart.
Armagh midfielder Oisin O’Neill showed his class by kicking a fine point under pressure after good work from Grugan and the pair then combined to set up the former for a goal chance, but the Ballymacnab attacker clipped his shot to the left and wide.
At the other end, Antrim missed the opportunity to take the lead when Ruairi McCann’s goal-bound was saved by the outstretched foot of Hughes.
As huge underdogs, Antrim could ill-afford to pass up such chances, but Armagh were also wasteful approaching half-time with O’Neill converting a free following a series of wides for McGeeney’s men.
Antrim finished the half well with another cracking score from McBride cutting the deficit to two points with Armagh leading 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval.
Antrim's Ryan Murray comes under pressure from Armagh defender James Morgan 
Any hope of an upset soon evaporated early in the second half on a hot and humid day in the Cathedral City.
Antrim’s attack were increasingly isolated and, despite some stunning scores from tight angles, they never looked like penetrating the Orchard County’s defence to get in for a much-needed goal.
In stark contrast, Armagh flexed their muscles in every way with a powerful display in the second half. The hosts outscored Antrim 1-5 to 0-4 in the third quarter and 2-4 to 0-3 in the fourth and final quarter.
Clann Éireann’s Conor Turbitt made a strong case for a starting berth against Monaghan, hitting 1-1 after being introduced for the second half.
Armagh opened the half with points from Grugan and wing-back Greg McCabe before Antrim replied with back-to-back points from the Murray siblings Conor and Ryan either side of a fisted point from Jarly Óg Burns.
Conor Murray’s point was a superb effort from a seemingly impossible angle while Ryan’s came after a lung-bursting solo run out of defence from the lively Eoghan McCabe.
Another free O’Neil moved Armagh four clear, although Antrim were aggrieved as the move started with a foul kick-out from Hughes as the receiver was inside the ‘D’.
Yet, Antrim were architects of their own downfall moments later when communication between Mulholland and Laverty broke down and Mulholland fouled Grugan for the penalty with O’Neill successfully converting to move Armagh 2-10 to 0-9 ahead.
Antrim’s next two scores where excellent strikes from a long-range free from Ruairi McCann and another fine point from play from McAleese, although Armagh kept their rivals at arm’s length with Turbitt landing a point in between Antrim’s scores.
McGeeney’s men ended any prospect of an Antrim comeback with their third goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Antrim's Peter Healy and Conor Stewart try and block Armagh's Andrew Murnin
Jemar Hall, who was a contender for Man-of-the-Match, played a great ball over the top to Turbitt, who in turn showed great strength to power past Ricky Johnston and fire into the net.
Armagh kept their foot on the throttle with further points from Grugan and O’Neill (free) and Burns while Antrim substitute Conor Small ended a 10-minute spell without a score for the Saffrons.
Their challenge petered out in the closing stages and their last two scores came from frees via Conor Murray and Ruairi McCann and Antrim ended the game with 14 players following Mark Sweeney’s black card.
The decision to send the St Jude’s clubman to the sin-bin appeared harsh and was one of several questionable calls made by Hurson throughout.
With Antrim down to 14, Armagh put a touch of gloss on the scoreboard with substitute Paddy Burns hitting a mark before fellow sub Tiernan Kelly shrugged off the challenge of Mick McCann to fire in his side’s fourth goal injury-time.
Armagh will be hoping to secure a place in the Ulster Final for the first time since 2008 when they face Monaghan in the provincial semi-final while Antrim’s at least can look forward to playing Division Three football in 2022.
ARMAGH: B Hughes; J Morgan, C Mackin (0-1), R Finn; G McCabe (0-1), C O’Hanlon (0-1), A McKay; N Grimley, O O’Neill (0-1); J Hall, R O’Neill (1-5, 1-0 pen, 0-5fs), J Óg Burns (0-2); R Grugan (1-2), A Murnin, S Campbell.
Subs: C Turbitt (1-1) for Murnin (HT), T Kelly (1-0) for Campbell (45), C O’Neill for Grimley (48), P Burns (0-1, 0-1M) for McKay (58), B Donaghy for McCabe (64).
ANTRIM: L Mulholland; E McCabe, R Johnston, P Healy; M Jordan, J Laverty, D McAleese (0-2); C Stewart, N McKeever (0-01); R Murray (0-3, 0-2fs), M McCann, P McBride (0-2); O Eastwood (0-1, 0-1f), R McCann (0-2, 0-2fs), C Murray (0-2, 0-1f).
Subs: T McCann for R Murray (44), M Sweeney for Stewart (56), C Small (0-1) for McBride (56), K Small for Eastwood (59), E Walsh for Jordan (71).
REFEREE: S Hurson (Tyrone).
