AN ALL-IRELAND third round qualifier against Limerick was the reward for Antrim as Dinny Cahill’s men picked up their tenth successive Ulster SHC title with a 2-20 to 2-12 victory over Armagh in Casement Park.
Saffrons wing-forward Joey Scullion led the charge with 1-07 (5f), his injury-time goal killing the match after the visitors had briefly threatened to make a game of it.
A tenth-minute goal from Conor McFaul set the tone early on, helping Antrim to a six-point advantage at the break, 1-12 to 1-06.
To their credit, Armagh – appearing in their first provincial final in 65 years – stuck to their task and when Ciaran Herron was sent off with 12 minutes remaining, Paul McCormack’s goal from the resulting free reduced the deficit to just four points.
That was as close as the Mournemen would get, however, before Scullion’s late strike put the result beyond doubt.
Antrim now have just six days to recover before doing battle with Limerick for a place in the quarter-finals next Saturday. The venue for that game, as well as the details of the other third round qualifier between Galway and Cork, will be confirmed by the CCCC tomorrow.
