Eirgrid Ulster U20 Football Championship quarter-final  
Fermanagh 2-13 Antrim 0-10  

ANTRIM were unable to repeat the heroics of last year’s U20 campaign as they crashed out of the 2021 Football Championship following a nine-point defeat to Fermanagh in Brewster Park on Friday night.

The Saffrons defeated Derry in last year’s series before narrowly losing out to Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final with the Red Hands going on to win the provincial title. 

However, Antrim’s prospects of winning suffered a triple blow in the build-up to the game with the news that senior panellists Conor Stewart and Pat Shivers were both ruled out through injury along with Sean O’Neill. 

Stewart played in last Sunday’s Ulster SFC defeat to Armagh in the Athletic Grounds, but picked up a knock in the early stages and will undergo a scan next week to determine the seriousness of a shoulder injury.

Shivers, meanwhile, has struggled with hamstring and back problems throughout the season and Friday night’s game came too soon for the Cargin clubman with his Toome colleague O’Neill also ruled out. 

The home side got off to a cracking start and found themselves five points clear after seven minutes.  

An excellent pass from Jack Largo-Ellis set up their first point with midfielder Joe McDade finishing off the move. It was the turn of sibling Josh Largo-Ellis to aid the Erne cause as he fired a powerful shot past Antrim goalkeeper Luke Mulholland on five minutes. 

Antrim spurned a host of early chances at the other end and Fermanagh moved 1-2 to no score ahead when Darragh McBrien converted a free.  

The Saffrons finally opened their account on 11 minutes when captain Eoin Hynds converted a free following a foul on Sean Duffin, but Fermanagh hit back instantly when full-forward McBrien clipped over a fine point from play.  

Antrim battled their way back into the game with a hat-trick of excellent points via Fergal Henry, a long-range free from ’keeper Mulholland and a cracking effort from centre-forward Oisin Doherty. 

However, their good work was soon undone as Fermanagh converted three frees at the other end, all calmly converted by Conor Love. 

Doherty landed another stunning point for the Saffrons as the half drew to a close with Fermanagh leading 1-6 to 0-5. 

A great mark at midfield by the Antrim skipper Hynds led to a good score by full-forward Niall Burns on the restart.

However, Fermanagh were always able to keep their rivals at arm’s length and that proved to be the case again as a brilliant cross-field pass from McBrien set up substitute Dairmuid King for a well-worked point. 

The Ernemen kicked for home in the early stages of the second half and back-to-back points from centre-back Aaron McManus send them firmly on their way to victory. 

Antrim kept chipping away, but they were finding space and possession hard to come by, but points from corner-forwards Henry and Sean Duffin kept them in touch. 

Yet, their chances of overturning what was now a four-point deficit appeared over when defender Paudie McLaughlin picked up black card on 42 minutes. 

Referee Maggie Farrelly soon levelled matters in terms of players on the field when she sent Fermanagh’s Dairmuid King off for 10 minutes for a third-man challenge. 

The Cavan whistler then proceeded to award Fermanagh a penalty for what seemed to be an innocuous challenge on McBrien. 

The full-forward took the penalty himself, but his shot was superbly saved by Mulholland, yet the Aghagallon clubman couldn’t prevent McBrien from following up with the rebound as Fermanagh moved 2-10 to 0-8 clear. 

The home side moved through the gears in the closing stage and a brace of points from the impressive Love had them 10 points ahead with six minutes of normal time remaining. 
Antrim missed a chance to plunder a goal at the other end when wing-back Ronan Boyle hit the side-netting following a goal-mouth scramble. 

Fellow defender McLaughlin fired over a great point on his return to play and substitute Eoin Matasa clipped over another, but Antrim were again reduced to 14 players when substitute Conal Bohill was given what appeared to be a harsh black card. 

Worse was to follow as McLaughlin picked up his second black card, and therefore a red, moments later. 

Fermanagh closed the game out with a point from Man-of-the-Match Love and they’ll play Down next Friday night in the semi-final. 

FERMANAGH: S McNally; A Jones, J Horan, M Flanagan, Josh Largo-Ellis (1-0), A McManus (0-2), R McHugh; Joe McDade (0-1), Justin McDade; Fionan O’Brien, T Keenan, Jack Largo-Ellis; R McCaffrey, D McBrien (1-2, 0-1f), C Love 0-7, 0-4fs).
Subs: D King (0-1) for McHugh (24), L McKenna for McCaffrey (30), E McCabe for Justin McDade (63).   

ANTRIM: L Mulholland (0-1, 0-1f); S Quinn, E Small, P McLaughlin (0-1); R Boyle, R Hagan, C O’Neill; R McFarlaine, B Kelly; E Hynds (0-1. 0-1f), O Doherty (0-2), P Burns; F Henry (0-2), N Burns (0-1), S Duffin (0-1).  
Subs: C Bohill for O’Neill (39), PJ Quinn for Henry (45) C Hynds for McFarlaine (45), D McAteer for Duffin (51), E Matasa (0-1) for Small (51). 

REFEREE: M Farrelly (Cavan).