Allianz Football League Division Three: Antrim 1-19 Longford 0-12
ANTRIM produced their best performance of the season on Saturday afternoon as they brushed aside the challenge of Longford at Corrigan Park.
The win further enhances the Saffrons chances of successive promotions and it’s something manager Enda McGinley always felt was within grasp of this current squad: “I knew the boys were more than fit to compete at this level and more than fit to push for promotion. We’re now in that place with two huge games coming up against two other promotion contenders in Louth and Westmeath.
"It’s brilliant to have meaningful games for the right reason at the end of the League.”
The Saffrons were superb in the opening 35 minutes where they would build an unassailable lead by the short whistle.
Mixing their style of play from quick ball into their inside forwards or breaking from deep, the home side’s play meant Longford were chasing shadows more often than not.
With 1-4 on the scoreboard before Longford troubled the umpires at the other end of the pitch, Antrim couldn’t have hoped for a better start.
Their goal coming from the first attack of the game when Conor Murray was felled inside the square and Tomas McCann converted the resulting spot kick.
The home side made great use of the attacking mark, Conor Murray’s aerial ability in particular outstanding while the delivery of ball from Michael McCann, Dermot McAleese and Ryan Murray opening Longford up on numerous occasions.
The visitors to Corrigan Park didn’t register a shot until the 14th minute while their three points all came from the boot of midfielder and captain for the day Darren Gallagher.
Antrim’s defence played with intensity and desire, creating turnover after turnover and allowed the pressure to increase on the visitors with every passing missed opportunity for Longford.
Eleven points separated the sides at half time and while Longford had the wind at their back for the second half, Antrim’s game management shone although McGinley was slightly critical of some of the Saffrons decision making: “You’d always love to push on and put in a dominant second half performance. We didn’t get that but if you’re up in a lead you can let it slip and let teams get a run at you too. That didn’t happen. The game really faded out and the second half was a bit of a non-event. We probably dropped a wee bit but it’s always really difficult when you have a lead to push on fully and we found that out.
“We were good on our kickouts and good on their kickouts, a couple of times our forward play could have been better. We gave away a couple of frees that we didn’t need to so there’s always aspects that you can pick and choose.”
Their defence remained organised while up front they were just as clinical. Conor Murray finishing with six points in a man-of-the-match performance. Strong running from deep through Marc Jordan and Ruairi McCann while Odhran Eastwood’s work-rate on the inside forward line was exemplary.
Longford improved in that second half and the introductions of Oran Kenny and Cian Dooner added to their attacking threat but the damage was done in the first half.
The Saffrons head to Louth next weekend with the apprentice coming up against the master once more, McGinley taking his Saffrons to Mickey Harte’s Louth.
Having defeated the same opposition on their way to promotion last year, McGinley is hoping for a repeat result: “Hoping for the same again but we have to go down there with belief. After that result against us last year Louth were probably the dominant team in Division Four and have been very strong this year.
“I always thought they’d be in the promotion hunt and they are. Louth we know well and they’re a good quality team. It’s a huge game and the fact it’s Mickey Harte again, it’s about the players on the pitch and it’s over to them. We got wee crumbs of luck last year, hopefully we haven’t used it all up.”
Antrim: O Kerr; E McCabe, R Johnston, P Healy; P McAleer, J Laverty, M Jordan (0-1); M McCann, D McAleese; R Murray (0-3 2f), M Johnston, C Murray (0-6, 0-1 free, 0-2 mark); T McCann (1-3 1-0 pen), R McCann (0-2 1’45), O Eastwood (0-2)
Subs: J McCann for P McAleer (h-t); B McCormick for M McCann (57); P Shiver (0-2) for M Johnston (63); Patrick McCormick for R Murray (63); Eoin Hynds for T McCann (68)
Longford: P Collum; P Fox, A Farrell, B O’Farrell; J Moran, PJ Masterson, I O’Sullivan; R Moffett, D Gallagher (0-3 frees); J Hagan, J Duggan (0-1), D Farrell; E McCormack, J Matthews (0-2 frees), A McGuire
Subs: O Kenny (0-2, 0-1 frees) for D Farrell (32); D Reynolds for A McGuire (45); K Diffley for R Moffett (47); M Hughes (0-1) for J Hagan (52); C Dooner (0-2) for J Duggan (57)
Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh)
