Five goal Antrim sink Mayo

24th February 2019

Report by THESAFFRONGAEL

Five goal Antrim sink Mayo

Allianz Hurling League Division 2A

Antrim 5-18 Mayo 0-13

Brendan McTaggart reports from Ballina, Mayo

Antrim recorded their second win of the league campaign on Sunday afternoon as they eased past the challenge of Mayo in Ballina. Four goals in the first half went a long way in laying the foundation for the Saffrons victory but they would finish the match with just 13 men. Two red cards, one in either half for Eoghan Campbell and Nigel Elliott and both fairly innocuous and coming while both men were being fouled.

Mayo never capitalised on their numerical advantage however. Antrim had built 14 point lead before Campbell’s dismissal in the 26th minute and dominated the home side for the full 70 minutes. All six starting forwards had recorded scores in the opening 35 minutes while the Saffrons defence were immense. Stephen Rooney and Phelim Duffin in the corners were excellent, the Dunloy man in particular outstanding with his work rate, tackling and distribution throughout in a man of the match performance.

Allianz National Hurling League Division 2A Round 4 Antrim v Mayo at James Stephens Park, Ballina, County Mayo Feb 24 2019

Antrim's Matthew Donnelly in action against Mayo's Eanna Ryan in Sunday's NHL Div 2A game in Ballina Picture: David Farrell Photography

Allianz National Hurling League Division 2A Round 4 Antrim v Mayo at James Stephens Park, Ballina, County Mayo Feb 24 2019

Antrim's Phelim Duffin in action against Mayo's David Kenny and Eanna Ryan during Sunday's NHL Div 2A game in Ballina Picture: David Farrell Photographyy

James McNaughton finished top scorer once again, finishing the match with 1-9 to his name while Nigel Elliott (2), Ryan McCambridge and Ciaran Clarke scored the other majors. McNaughton’s goal coming in the second half but it was Antrim’s attacking play in the first 35 minutes that caught the eye. Mayo couldn’t live with the pace and trickery of Eoin O’Neill while Ciaran Clarke was looking close to his impish best with both men heavily involved throughout.

Forwards can only thrive when the delivery into them is of the required quality and on Sunday the Saffrons distribution was on point. Spreading the play and making use of the wide space if the Ballina pitch, Antrim looked to change the direction of play and make more intelligent use of the ball at every opportunity, especially in the first half. They had to adapt after the dismissals but in the end it was an efficient second half where Antrim maintained their intensity levels to record a 20 point victory.

Playing with the help of the wind in the opening 35 minutes, Antrim started brightly. Eoin O’Neill and frees from McNaughton and Nicky McKeague gave them a three point lead before Elliott hit his and Antrim’s first goal of the contest. Duffin playing the diagonal ball to O’Neill with the Antrim man playing a pop pass to the rushing Elliott and he made no mistake with a high riffled effort.

James Gallagher opened the scoring for the home side in reply to Elliott’s goal but any chances for the home side were minimal, such was the dominance of the Antrim defence. McNaughton scored his second free of the match before Antrim hit their second major in the tenth minute. Mattie Donnelly this time with the delivery where O’Neill made a nuisance of himself once again. Clarke gathered the pass and applied the expert finish to open a nine point lead in the 10th minute.

Captain Conor McCann raised a white flag before Ryan McCambridge found the back of Stephen Lenaghan’s net for Antrim’s third goal. Duffin with the long diagonal towards Clarke with the Ballycastle man deflecting the sliotar into the path of McCambridge who finished with aplomb.

Antrim were in cruise control after the opening quarter and when McNaughton raised white flags either side of Shane Boland’s first point of the match for the home side, the Saffrons held a 14 point lead going into the 26th minute.

Having played superbly up to that point, Campbell was sent off for what referee James Connor’s deemed dangerous use of his hurl after consultation with his umpire. Antrim reshuffled and while Mayo raised flags through Boland and midfielder Daniel Huane either side of Nicky McKeague’s second of the match, Antrim’s fourth goal all but sealed the points in the 33rd minute. O’Neill collecting a long ball from Conor McCann and passed to Elliott in space. Mayo ‘keeper Lenaghagn guessed right with his attempt to save but he deflected the sliotar over the line.

Antrim finished the half on top with Clarke, McNaughton (free) and McCambridge all splitting the uprights in response to Boland’s third free of the half to give the Saffrons a 19 point lead at the interval.

Antrim did struggle to find their flowing game that was so prevalent in the first half after the restart. Unsurprising with the home side having the wind and numerical advantage. Mayo hit the opening two scores of the second with a long range free from Coyne and Boland before good work by McCann allowed McKeague to get the Saffrons underway once more in the 10th minute of the second half.

Eanna Ryan and McKeague swapped points to keep the Antrim lead at 18 points before Elliott’s red card. Once again it was Connor’s umpires who alerted him to the challenge with the Donegal official sending Elliott off, much to the bewilderment of the Dunloy man and the Antrim management team.

Neal Peden and his backroom team were forced into another reshuffle and while Mayo struck the next score thanks to another Boland free, Antrim sealed the win with their fifth goal. Another long ball aimed towards O’Neill who was being heavily marked by the Mayo defence after his first half antics. ‘Sammy’ managed to squeeze the sliotar into the path of McNaughton and the Loughgiel man did the rest. Holding off the challenge of two Mayo defenders, McNaughton danced his way through before innovatively striking the sliotar to the back of the net.

Antrim made light of their numerical disadvantage in the 15 minutes that remained. McNaughton continued to fill his boots scoring three points (two frees) with substitute James O’Connell adding his name to the list of Antrim scorers while Mayo’s reply came through Coyne, Cormac Phillips and two Boland frees.

A resounding and confidence boosting victory for the Saffrons after their indifferent start to the 2019 league. Next up, a home match with the Exiles in a weeks time.

TEAMS

Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Phelim Duffin, John Dillon, Stephen Rooney; Eoghan Campbell, Matthew Donnelly, Simon McCrory; Donal McKinley, Nicky McKeague (0-4, 1f); Nigel Elliott (2-00), James McNaughton (1-9, 7f’s), Ryan McCambridge (1-1); Eoin O’Neill (0-1), Conor McCann (0-1), Ciaran Clarke (1-1).

Subs: Conor Boyd for S McCrory (HT); Conor Patterson for J Dillon (55); James O’Connell (0-1, 1f) for C Clarke (55); Conor Laverty for N McKeague (58); Sean Duffin for J McNaughton (63)

Yellow Cards: J Dillon (30).

Red Card: Eoghan Campbell (26); N Elliott (49).

Mayo: Stephen Lenaghan; Conor Murray, Conor Daly, John Gerraghty; Padraig O’Flynn, Stephen Coyne (0-2, 2f’s), Cathal Freeman; Daniel Huane (0-1), David Kenny; James Gallagher (0-1), Eanna Ryan (0-1), Patrick Kiely; Shane Boland (0-7, 6f), Sean Regan, Eoin Delaney.

Subs: Conor Henry for J Geraghty (HT); Brian Hunt for P Kiely (HT); Bobby Douglas for J Gallagher (50); Cormac Phillips (0-1) for E Delaney (53); Corey Scahill for C Freeman (56).

Yellow Cards: E Ryan (14); S Boland (30); S Regan (68).

Red Cards: n/a

Referee: James Connors (Donegal).