A BETTING MAN might have been confident that Armagh would beat the spread of 12 points.
Antrim didn’t let them. There were eleven points in it at the final sounding of the hooter. And yet it didn’t feel like an eleven point game.
The reason being that Antrim, roared on by manager Andy McEntee from the sidelines, poured all that they were worth into this game. They sprinted and jostled and provided the perfect response to those that hold that the new rules do not allow for physicality.
Corner back Kavan Keenan in particularly being a particular highlight with his willingness to throw himself into every tackle and his eagerness to sprint upfield. The moustache just added to his 80’s image.
Three Paddy McBride two-pointers were an absolute delight. Playing on his home ground he smashed them over the bar to big cheers. Not only were they big scores, but they came at important times too.
It was a game that had everything, right up to the point when the natural script took over. After 44 minutes, Antrim had punched themselves out. Their energy reserves were depleted, especially after living on scraps from their own kickout.
Armagh named a team that contained just five of the players that started last summer’s All-Ireland final. They have felt some rough luck with injuries of late and were even forced to take Paddy Burns out of the starting team because of an allergic reaction he took the day before, leaving him looking like, “the elephant man” said manager Kieran McGeeney, with a playful smile.
While Armagh settled into a three point lead early on, the pattern felt like it was set. Ethan Rafferty’s kickouts were finding their target but at the other end, Michael Byrne could barely find a Saffron shirt unless he went short.
Antrim’s first score, from McBride was a two pointer. And after Eoghan McCabe snuffed out a goal chance for Rory Grugan, the home side worked the ball upfield for Ryan McQuillan to clip over a point.
Advertisement
Antrim drew level then. They won a turnover of possession after Armagh had claimed one of Byrne’s kickouts and Dominic McEnhill dropped a serious two pointer over.
Armagh’s response felt inevitable and they reeled off five consecutive points; two Rory Grugan two-point frees, two Grugan one-point frees and one from play from Ross McQuillan.
Just before that, pandemonium. Conor Stewart put in a shot that was dropping short. Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty claimed the ball, then dropped it. Lurking with intent was Ruairí McCann, as he stooped to collect, Rafferty pulled him down.
A black card for Rafferty. Blaine Hughes came on. Kavan Keenan’s penalty was well struck but Hughes batted it out.
All the same, Antrim notched three points while Armagh were down to 14 men. Two more two-pointers from McBride brought them a half-time lead; 0-14 to 0-13.
There were early signs in the second half that Armagh were going through the gears. They sent on Oisin O’Neill and he would land three two-point frees. Gaps were opening up that their late running defenders were exploiting. It was one such move that ended in corner-back Tomas McCormick finding the roof of the net to go 1-18 to 0-16 up after 44 minutes.
Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
A huge amount of credit goes to the Antrim players. They did not fold. But they were simply powerless to stop all the bright industry that substitutes such as Jemar Hall, Cian McConville and Aidan Forker were providing.
Armagh scored another 16 points from this stage to the end. Antrim added 1-6.
The All-Ireland champions will get even stronger as players regain their fitness. Tyrone or Cavan up next in the Ulster semi-final. Interesting.
Scorers for Armagh: Rory Grugan 0-8 (4f, 1x 2point frees), Oisin O’Neill 0-6 (3 x 2point frees), Tomas McCormick 1-1, Callum O’Neill 0-4, Ross McQuillan 0-3, Greg McCabe, Cian McConville 0-2 each, Ethan Rafferty 0-3, (1 x 2point free), Barry McCambridge, Darragh McMullan, Andrew Murnin, Aidan Forker, Jemar Hall 0-1 each.
Scorers for Antrim: Paddy McBride 0-9 (3 x2point scores, 1f), Ryan McQuillan 1-4 (1 x 2 point score), Dominic McEnhill 0-4 (1 x2 point score, 1 x 2point free, Michael Byrne 0-2 (1 x45), Marc Jordan, Eunan Quinn, Ronan Boyle 0-1 each.
Armagh
1. Ethan Rafferty (Grange)
17. Gareth Murphy (Killeavy) 3. Barry McCambridge (Clann Eireann) 4. Tomas McCormick (Annaghmore)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Armagh land 1-20 in blistering second half to see off Antrim in Ulster quarter-final
Armagh 1-34
Antrim 1-23
A BETTING MAN might have been confident that Armagh would beat the spread of 12 points.
Antrim didn’t let them. There were eleven points in it at the final sounding of the hooter. And yet it didn’t feel like an eleven point game.
The reason being that Antrim, roared on by manager Andy McEntee from the sidelines, poured all that they were worth into this game. They sprinted and jostled and provided the perfect response to those that hold that the new rules do not allow for physicality.
Corner back Kavan Keenan in particularly being a particular highlight with his willingness to throw himself into every tackle and his eagerness to sprint upfield. The moustache just added to his 80’s image.
Three Paddy McBride two-pointers were an absolute delight. Playing on his home ground he smashed them over the bar to big cheers. Not only were they big scores, but they came at important times too.
It was a game that had everything, right up to the point when the natural script took over. After 44 minutes, Antrim had punched themselves out. Their energy reserves were depleted, especially after living on scraps from their own kickout.
Armagh named a team that contained just five of the players that started last summer’s All-Ireland final. They have felt some rough luck with injuries of late and were even forced to take Paddy Burns out of the starting team because of an allergic reaction he took the day before, leaving him looking like, “the elephant man” said manager Kieran McGeeney, with a playful smile.
While Armagh settled into a three point lead early on, the pattern felt like it was set. Ethan Rafferty’s kickouts were finding their target but at the other end, Michael Byrne could barely find a Saffron shirt unless he went short.
Antrim’s first score, from McBride was a two pointer. And after Eoghan McCabe snuffed out a goal chance for Rory Grugan, the home side worked the ball upfield for Ryan McQuillan to clip over a point.
Antrim drew level then. They won a turnover of possession after Armagh had claimed one of Byrne’s kickouts and Dominic McEnhill dropped a serious two pointer over.
Armagh’s response felt inevitable and they reeled off five consecutive points; two Rory Grugan two-point frees, two Grugan one-point frees and one from play from Ross McQuillan.
Just before that, pandemonium. Conor Stewart put in a shot that was dropping short. Armagh goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty claimed the ball, then dropped it. Lurking with intent was Ruairí McCann, as he stooped to collect, Rafferty pulled him down.
A black card for Rafferty. Blaine Hughes came on. Kavan Keenan’s penalty was well struck but Hughes batted it out.
All the same, Antrim notched three points while Armagh were down to 14 men. Two more two-pointers from McBride brought them a half-time lead; 0-14 to 0-13.
There were early signs in the second half that Armagh were going through the gears. They sent on Oisin O’Neill and he would land three two-point frees. Gaps were opening up that their late running defenders were exploiting. It was one such move that ended in corner-back Tomas McCormick finding the roof of the net to go 1-18 to 0-16 up after 44 minutes.
A huge amount of credit goes to the Antrim players. They did not fold. But they were simply powerless to stop all the bright industry that substitutes such as Jemar Hall, Cian McConville and Aidan Forker were providing.
Armagh scored another 16 points from this stage to the end. Antrim added 1-6.
The All-Ireland champions will get even stronger as players regain their fitness. Tyrone or Cavan up next in the Ulster semi-final. Interesting.
Scorers for Armagh: Rory Grugan 0-8 (4f, 1x 2point frees), Oisin O’Neill 0-6 (3 x 2point frees), Tomas McCormick 1-1, Callum O’Neill 0-4, Ross McQuillan 0-3, Greg McCabe, Cian McConville 0-2 each, Ethan Rafferty 0-3, (1 x 2point free), Barry McCambridge, Darragh McMullan, Andrew Murnin, Aidan Forker, Jemar Hall 0-1 each.
Scorers for Antrim: Paddy McBride 0-9 (3 x2point scores, 1f), Ryan McQuillan 1-4 (1 x 2 point score), Dominic McEnhill 0-4 (1 x2 point score, 1 x 2point free, Michael Byrne 0-2 (1 x45), Marc Jordan, Eunan Quinn, Ronan Boyle 0-1 each.
Armagh
1. Ethan Rafferty (Grange)
17. Gareth Murphy (Killeavy) 3. Barry McCambridge (Clann Eireann) 4. Tomas McCormick (Annaghmore)
5. Ross McQuillan (Cullyhanna) 6. Greg McCabe (Camlough) 7. Connaire Mackin (Camlough)
8. Callum O’Neill (Belleek) 20. Jarly Óg Burns (Silverbridge)
10. Darragh McMullan (Madden) 11. Rory Grugan (Ballymacnab) 12. Peter McGrane (Ballyhagan)
13. Tiernan Kelly (Clann Eireann) 14. Andrew Murnin (St Paul’s) 15. Stefan Campbell (Clan na Gael)
Subs:
16. Blaine Hughes (Carrickcruppin) for Kelly (19m)
24. Oisin O’Neill (Crossmaglen) for Hughes (HT)
19. Aidan Forker (Maghery) for O O’Neill (41m – blood sub)
22. Jemar Hall (Forkhill) for Campbell (49m)
21. Cian McConville (Crossmaglen) for McMullan (52m)
19. Forker for Murnin (53m)
Antrim
1. Michael Byrne (O’Donovan Rossa)
2. Eoghan McCabe (St Gall’s) 3. Eunan Walsh (St Mary’s) 4. Kavan Keenan (Ballymena)
5. James McAuley (St Enda’s) 22. Marc Jordan (Lámh Dhearg) 7. Dermot McAleese (Casements)
8. Conor Hand (St John’s) 19. Conor Stewart (Ballymena)
10. Paddy McBride (St John’s) 23. Patrick Finnegan (St Brigid’s) 25. Ronan Boyle (St Brigid’s)
13. Ryan McQuillan (Con Magee’s) 14. Ruairí McCann (St Mary’s) 15. Dominic McEnhill (O’Donovan Rossa)
Subs:
9. Eunan Walsh (Cargin) for Stewart (HT)
11. Niall Burns (St Gall’s) for Jordan (46m)
26. Ryan Murray (Lamh Dhearg) for McEnhill (46m)
21. John Morgan (St Brigid’s) for McAuley (48m)
12. Fionn Nagle (St Enda’s) for Finnegan (54m)
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
All-Ireland Championship Armagh GAA The Orchard Ulster Championship