Late goal salvo sinks weary Down in final

Late goal salvo sinks weary Down in final

5 February 2014

ANTRIM won the much-delayed 2013 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship final in front of just 139 spectators at Celtic Park, Derry, on Sunday.

The paltry attendance reflected the lack of interest in the game which was originally fixed for July 7 last year and then November 3 before it finally went ahead on Sunday.

Unfortunately, Down went into the final without Gareth ‘Magic’ Johnson and James Coyle, both of whom picked up bad knee injuries on Saturday. At this early stage it looks as if both have suffered cruciate knee ligament damage.

Down trailed by just four points at the break, 1-7 to 2-8, but tired in the second half as they began to feel

the effects of Saturday’s Kehoe Cup semi-final, which they also lost to Kildare.

Antrim were the dominant force in the first half and an early goal from Ciaran Johnson had the Saffrons firmly in the driving seat.

Down had employed a sweeper in front of their half back line, but this failed to curtail Antrim and captain Neil McManus bagged another first half goal.

Antrim were the much slicker and sharper on the ball and they went in at the break with a 2-8 to 1-7 lead after Danny Toner had found the net for Down.

Antrim maintained their grip on the game after the break, but Down refused to go away and points from Paul Sheehan and Michael Turley kept them in touch with the favourites.

Gerard Monan’s side somehow plucked up the energy to give it a lash in the final 15 minutes and they reduced the arrears to just three points with all to play for.

Fair play to Down. They created two goal-scoring chances in the next few minutes, but a 20m free from Conor Woods grazed the crossbar and Steven Dineen was inches away from making contact with the sliothar after he got in behind the Antrim defence.

The loss of Conor O’Prey to a red card in the dying stages didn’t

help Down’s cause and further goals from Conor Johnston and Hamill handed Antrim a comfortable looking win.

Gerard Monan was quite philosophical about two defeats in the space of 24 hours for his Down side and complimented Antrim on winning yet another Ulster title.

“It’s been a tough weekend all round,” he said. “I think, like it or lump it, you have to admire Antrim. They’ve been the benchmark for Ulster hurling.”

“They’ve had development squads for probably the last 10 years and they are now reaping the developments.

“For me, it’s about getting coaches into schools and at club levels. If we don’t get players out of the club, the counties won’t improve.

“It has to be proper coaching in the clubs. People maybe volunteer because they have a son or daughter playing. With the best will in the world, they are not coaches,” he added.

Antrim: S. McToal, B. McFall, C. McKinley, M. Bradley, S. McCrory (0-2), N. McAuley, Ciaran Johnston (1-0), E. Campbell, J. McGreevy, N. McKenna (0-2), C. Carson (0-4), P. Shiels (0-6, 2f), D. McKernan, N. McManus (1-5, 0-2f), C. Clarke (0-1f). Subs: S. McAfee for McGreevy, Conor Johnston (1-1) for McKernan, D. Hamill (1-0) for Clarke, N. Elliott for McKenna.

Down: S. Keith, R. Brannigan, P. Flynn, S. Ennis, B. Nicholson, C. Woods (0-2f), J. McGrath (0-2), D. Hughes, M. Hughes, P. Sheehan (0-8, 7f), C. O’Neill (0-1), B. Coleman, M. Turley (0-2), S. Dineen (0-1), D. Toner (1-0). Subs: C. O’Prey for Coleman, M. Ennis for Turley, C. Dorrian (0-1) for O’Neill, C. Taggart for Brannigan, C. Hughes for Sheehan.

Antrim 4-21

Down 1-17

ULSTER SHC FINAL