Armagh too strong for Saffrons as Orchardmen inflict debut defeat for new Antrim boss McEntee

Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Section C round one: Armagh 2-20 Antrim 2-8 

ARMAGH laid down an early marker with a convincing 12-point win over Antrim in last night’s Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup opener.

Armagh led by nine points at half-time and only a complete collapse or a heroic comeback from Antrim in the second half would have changed the outcome of this contest.

As expected, both teams gave senior starting debuts to a number of players. Carrickcruppen forward Eoin Woods made his first senior start for the home side, while Shane McPartland of Clan na Gael also made his introduction and they both impressed with early points.

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Kieran McGeeney also gave some of the seasoned players game-time too, starting with Ethan Rafferty, Aidan Forker, Jarly Og Burns, Stephen Sheridan, captain Aidan Nugent, Tiarnan Kelly and Conor Turbitt. There was also a return for the injured Paddy Burns and midfielder Niall Grimley.

Antrim boss Andy McEntee recalled a number of familiar faces with Jack Dowling making a return and partnering debutant Oisin Lenehan in midfield. There were also starts for newbies Cathal Hynds at fullback and Joseph Finnegan wearing number six, as well as rare starts for Dominic McEnhill and Ronan Boyle, who have been in and out of the squad.

The game at the Athletic Grounds was delayed by five minutes to allow for 4510 fans to find their way in. And it game got off to a flying start with Turbitt netting on six minutes. Kelly and McPartland opened the scoring before a Colum Duffin mark got the ball rolling for Antrim on 11 minutes.

Armagh invited the Antrim press and kicked long over to a two-man full-forward line while the Saffrons found it difficult to get out of their defence, with the Orchard benefiting from a number of turnovers.

Woods, Conor O’Neill and Aidan Nugent kept the scoreboard ticking over and Antrim keeper Michael Byrne pulled off a brilliant save to deny Turbitt a second goal, by palming the ball over the bar. Dominic McEnhill’s two frees accounted for half of Antrim’s first-half scores, with Ryan Murray bagging the other point. Niall McConville (mark) and Nugent (free) extended Armagh’s lead as they finished comfortably at the break.

It was a new-look Armagh side that returned for the second half as McGeeney made the most of the unlimited substitutions rule, with 11 changes at the break. Two second-half substitutes scored goals with their first touch – Joe Sheridan of Madden bagged his goal early on, while Antrim substitute Odhran Eastwood pegged back a goal on 49 minutes.

The changes disrupted the fluidity of the game somewhat but it was still entertaining stuff with Crossmaglen’s Cian McConville looking sharp with three points from play, while Jemar Hall, Justin Kierans, Niall Smyth and Stefan Campbell were also on target for the Orchard. McEnhill and Dermot McAleese replied with points and Eastwood rattled home his second goal for the Saffrons but the result was a foregone conclusion long before the final whistle.

Antrim will face Cavan in Portglenone on Sunday, while Armagh travel to Breffni Park next Wednesday to play Cavan in round two.

Armagh: E Rafferty, P Burns, A Forker, R Finn, C O’Neill (0-1), B McCambridge (0-1), J Og Burns, N Grimley, S Sheridan, E Woods (0-1), A Nugent (0-3, 0-2 frees), T Kelly (0-1), C Turbitt (1-2, 0-1 mark), N McConville (0-2, 0-1 mark), S McPartland (0-1)

Subs: S Campbell (0-1) for Turbitt (ht’), J Kieran (0-1) for Kelly (ht’), N Smyth (0-1) for O’Neill (ht’), C Cumiskey for Burns (ht’), T McCormack for Grimley (ht’), S Magill for Rafferty (ht’), L Rice for P Burns (ht’), P McGrane for Forker (ht’), Ciaran Higgins for S Sheridan (ht’), J Sheridan (1-1) for Woods (ht’), J Hall (0-1) for Nugent (ht’), Cian McConville (0-3) for R Finn (ht’), C Grimley for McCambridge (51’), O Conarty for N McConville (51’), K Doyle for McPartland (53’), N McConville for C McConville (65’)

Antrim: M Byrne, P McBride, C Hynds, P Mervyn, D McAleese (0-1), J Finnegan, R Boyle, J Dowling, M Jordan, C Duffin (0-1 mark), C Stewart, R Murray (0-1, free), K Small, D McEnhill (0-5 frees)

Subs: P Finnegan for R Boyle (29’), E McCabe for M Jordan (29’), S McGarry for J Dowling (33’), Pat Shivers for Mervyn (43’), O Eastwood (2-00) for Murray (43’), J McAuley for J Finnegan (43’), P McCormack for McAleese (55’), C Higgins for Duffin (55’), S O’Neill for C Stewart (55’), C McGirr for Hynds (60’), Hanna for Byrne (60’) Referee B McMenamin (Cavan)