Sweet sixteen for high scoring Saffrons

Sweet sixteen for high scoring Saffrons
Antrim 5-22 Armagh 1-12
A superb showing by corner forward Conor Johnston which yielded a total of 3-5 from play helped Antrim to their 16 Ulster SHC title in a row in Sunday's Ulster Senior Hurling final at Owenbeg.
Johnston was on fire and after Paul Shiels and Neil McManus found the net for the champions Johnston grabbed the first of his three as the Saffrons raced to a 3-16 to 1-2 half time lead, the Armagh goal coming from Fiarcha Bradley.
With the wind at their backs in the second half Armagh did improve and six unanswered points closed the gap. However Antrim sprung to life again and Johnston completed his hat-trick as finished well after good approach work by Ciaran Clarke. 
Maybe not the sternest tests for the Saffrons but they did play some very good hurling when they had to. However the management team will be well aware that they will need to lift the tempo another notch on Saturday next when they take on Carlow in the opening round of the Christy Ring Cup at Dr Cullen Park 
MATCH STATS
Antrim: C O’Connell; S McCrory, J Dillon, S Rooney; C McKinley (0-1), P Burke, Ciaran Johnston; P McGill (0-1), P Shiels (1-0); M Connolly (0-3, 0-2f), C McCann, E Campbell (0-3); Conor Johnston (3-5), N McManus (1-6, 0-1free), C Clarke (0-2)
Subs: D Murphy for McCann (43), R Diamond for Rooney (56), J McNaughton for Connolly (57), C Carson (0-1) for Murphy (60)

Armagh: S Doherty; C Clifford, N Curry, D Bridges; J Corvan, A McGuinness, T Nevin; F Bradley (1-0), C Devlin; D Carvill (0-7, 0-6frees), C Carvill (0-1), C Corvan (0-3); D Magee (0-1), C Gorman, D McKenna
Subs: O Curry for Bridges (23), P Gaffney for Devlin (23), P McKearney for Bradley (HT)

Referee: J Clarke (Cavan)

REPORT AND PHOTOS BY John McIlwaine.