Gaelic Games

Armagh progress to Ulster football Under-21 semi-final after replay

Antrim left to rue sending off of Ronan McGrady after 13 minutes

Armagh’s Joe McElroy gets away from the challenge of Antrim’s Ryan Murray during Wednesday night’s Ulster Under-21 quarter-final replay at Páirc Esler, Newry. Photograph: Inpho

Orla Bannon
Thu Mar 27 2014 - 01:00

Armagh 0-13
Antrim 0-10

 Armagh will play Donegal in next week's Ulster semi-final after a replay win over Antrim last night. Antrim suffered a major blow after 13 minutes in Newry when full-forward Ronan McGrady, who had scored 3-4 in the drawn match, was sent-off for an off-the-ball incident with Séamus Kelly. However Antrim showed great character to battle on with 14 men.

The sides were level three times in the first half before Armagh started to dominate in the second quarter, reeling off four points to lead by 0-6 to 0-3 at the break. Jemar Hall scored the first point from play after 18 minutes and a 45 from the same player, as well as points from Blaine Malone and Ciarán O'Hanlon, saw a decent cushion open up for Armagh.

Armagh opened up a four-point lead just after the restart but Antrim rallied with three points in a row. Patrick McBride scored 0-5 in the half, three from play, while Antrim goalkeeper Ronan Hanna kept them in the game with three superb saves from Paul McGeown and Ciarán O'Hanlon.

Antrim fightback
Antrim got to within a point at 0-10 to 0-9 after 48 minutes but two points from Paul McGeown gave Armagh breathing space and goalkeeper David O'Hagan made a last gasp save in injury-time to deny McBride an equalising goal.

ANTRIM: R Hanna; C O'Rawe, N Delargy, F O'Neill; M McGarry, R Wilson, E Killough; O Gallagher (0-1), D Nugent; R Murray (0-1, free), P Nugent, D McAleese (0-1); P McBride (0-5, two frees), R McGrady (0-1, free), L McCurdy. Subs: K Quinn for P Nugent (42 mins), R Lynch (0-1) for McCurdy (45 mins), R McCann for Gallagher (51 mins), C McCann for Wilson (56 mins).
ARMAGH: D O'Hagan; D O'Neill, S Kelly, C McCooey; D O'Hagan, M Murphy, J McElroy; A Findon, B Malone (0-1); P McGeown (0-3, one free), M McKenna (0-1), C Comiskey (0-3, frees); E English (0-1), C O'Hanlon (0-1), J Hall (0-2, one 45). Subs: P Crilly for Murphy (42 mins), C MacIomhar for English (49 mins), J Grugan (0-1) for Hall (58 mins).
Referee: Eamon McHugh (Tyrone)

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