Bradley cracker wakes up slack Derry

Derry progressed; Antrim were left licking their wounds. And wounds there certainly were after a tough encounter at Celtic Park yesterday when the Ulster championship favourites progressed to a semi-final clash with Tyrone.

Ultimately, what Brian White's side lacked in ability, they made up for in endeavour as they never gave an inch to a Derry side which stuttered throughout. Only when corner forward Patrick Bradley rifled a magnificent goal to the top corner of the net three minutes into stoppage time at the end of the first half did the Derry men gain any breathing space.

Afterwards, Derry corner back, Sean Marty Lockhart admitted as much: "Antrim dominated until we got the goal. It was a great goal but it's lucky for us it came at the right time. Antrim's heads dropped somewhat after that and we dominated and while we didn't give our best performance, I felt we were on top in the second half."

While the game was physically demanding, with several hard tackles, the dismissals of Derry's Paul Carton and Antrim's Paul Close were harsh. Both players saw red following two yellows in quick succession early in the second half. While both sides were slow to start, some poor wides cost Antrim an early advantage, which they finally gained in the fifth minute when Paddy Logan - who scored all but one of his side's points - knocked over a free.

From the resulting kick-out, Derry went straight down the field and after a move involving Ronan Rocks, Johnny McBride and Enda Muldoon, the latter sent over a good score to level matters. Antrim retorted with points from Kevin Brady and a Logan free. That Brady point was, however, their final score of the half as Derry, although not dominating, upped a gear and points from Bradley, Anthony Tohill and Bradley, again from a free, put them into the lead for the first time.

With the game in first-half injury time, wing-back McFlynn made a surging run through the heart of the Antrim defence and when challenged he fisted the ball to the unmarked Bradley, who shot to the top corner of the net. Muldoon scored a superb point to give Derry a 1-5 to 0-3 half-time lead.

Within 15 seconds of the re-start substitute Dermot Heaney increased Derry's lead. But two Logan frees reduced the deficit. However, Derry sealed the game in an eight minute period midway through the second half when Muldoon, Tohill, Gavin Diamond and Bradley pointed to put Derry 1-10 to 0-5 ahead.

Derry were as good as home and dried, but Antrim showed the spirit which White has instilled in the side by again refusing to lie down and four further frees from Logan brought them to within four points.

But a late Gary Coleman point sealed their fate, confirming Derry's victory.