Ulster U20 Hurling Cup final
Antrim 1-25 Down 1-13
ANTRIM were comfortable enough winners of the Ulster U20 hurling final in Ballycastle on Saturday afternoon, gradually opening a gap over the hour against a dogged Down side.
Callum McIlwaine signalled their intent with a point inside 10 seconds and Joseph McLaughlin quickly added a second.
However, Down were back in the game in the 10th minute when Sean O’Neill sent Sean McCarthy in for a goal. However, the Saffrons responded with the next three points, including two from Oran Donnelly, before Callagh Mooney cut in from the left corner and hit the net for a lead of 1-6 to 1-1.
Fiontán Bradley and Sean McKay stretched that lead to seven points before Down got a little run of scores from O’Neill, Cathal Coleman (three frees), sub David Morrissey and captain Noah Rogers to close the gap to 1-11 to 1-7 at the break.
They had a penalty shout early in the second half when Liam Blaney seemed to be impeded, but it wasn’t given. Nevertheless, Coleman and Blaney closed the gap to two points after four minutes.
Antrim’s response was emphatic. By the time Coleman scored Down’s 11th point in the 47th minute, there was a gap of seven points. Two points each from McLaughlin, Mooney and Bradley, plus one from Niall Magee brought Antrim to 1-18.
They pushed on during the final quarter, with subs Cormac McKeown and Orrin O’Connor (two) getting in on the scoring, while a free from Coleman and one from Blaney were all that the Down men could conjure up.
Antrim now go through to compete in the Leinster championship, while Down will compete in the All-Ireland B, a competition they won last year.
Antrim F Bradley 0-10 (0-6f); C Mooney 1-2; J McLaughlin 0-3; O Donnelly, S McKay & O O’Connor 0-2 each; N Magee, C McIlwaine, A McGarry (f) & C McKeown 0-1 each
Down C Coleman 0-7 (0-5f); L Blaney 0-2; S McCarthy, L McCabe, Noah Rogers, S O’Neill & D Morrissey 0-1 each
