Antrim answer critics in style

Antrim 0-16 Westemeath 1-7:ANTRIM CARVED out a deserved victory over Westmeath in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC qualifier, at Casement Park, but it was only in the closing stages did the Saffrons manage to shake off the opposition.

Westmeath went 1-1 ahead after two minutes, with John Heslin pointing and James Dolan storming through to fire a rocket into the Antrim net. That, however, was the end of the visitors’ scoring for 29 minutes.

A point by Gerard O’Boyle began a home onslaught and the Saffrons fired over eight unanswered points to lead by 0-8 to 1-1 after 29 minutes for a lead the home side never relinquished.

Points by Heslin and Brendan Murtagh narrowed the gap to 0-8 to 1-3 at the break and it was down to the minimum when Heslin converted another free six minutes after the restart. But Antrim pushed on from there to the end of the game, scoring six points to just one in reply.

“The only negative side is that we have probably lost Michael McCann for five to six weeks after his hamstring injury during the first half,” reflected Antrim manager Liam Bradley.

Bradley brushed aside the criticism that Antrim took after losing to Donegal. “I’m not bothered about criticism,” he stressed. “People have views on the game and I have my own views. The Donegal-Antrim game was a bad game, it wasn’t for the purist.

“I listened to the radio last week and there was a certain guy who said he feared for Fermanagh, Antrim and Cavan in the qualifiers. I don’t think we are in the same bracket as Fermanagh or Cavan.”

ANTRIM: S O’Neill; C Brady, K O’Boyle, R Johnston; T Scullion (0-2), J Crozier, A Healy; M McCann, A Gallagher; C Murray (0-1), T McCann (0-4, 0-1 free, 0-2 45s), J Loughrey (0-2); G O’Boyle (0-3, 0-2 frees), B Herron (0-2), K Niblock (0-1). Subs: S Burke for M McCann (22 mins); P Cunningham (0-1) for Murray (51 mins), A Douglas for C Brady (56 mins), K Brady for G O’Boyle (56 mins), T O’Neill for T McCann (67 mins).

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; M Curley, A Finnan, K Gavin; D Corroon, K Martin, J Dolan (1-0); D Daly, D Duffy; G Egan, J Heslin (0-4, 0-3 frees), D Harte; C Lynam, D Glennon, P Greville (0-1, free). Subs: B Murtagh (0-1) for Duffy (22 mins), D Dolan (0-1) for P Greville (51 mins), P Sherry for Corroon (60 mins), F Boyle for Martin (60 mins).

Referee: M Sludden (Tyrone).