London sent packing

Antrim: 2-23 - G O'Kane 1-9; C McCambridge 1-4; C Hamill, A Delargy 0-3 each; C Cunning 0-2; M Molloy 0-1, R Donnelly 0-1

London: 0-12 - T Maloney 0-8; F Horgan 0-2; M O'Meara, D Duane 0-1 each

Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).

Booked: Antrim - C McCambridge (65), J Connolly (40th).

There was something inevitable about this Ulster semi-final in Casement Park yesterday as early as Gregory O'Kane's second point in the eighth minute, which sent Antrim into a four-point lead.

Tony Lohan and Timmy Moloney opened London's account with two points, but Antrim and O'Kane then took over from the 10th minute until half-time, by which stage Antrim were 1-14 to 0-4 ahead. O'Kane was pulled down in the 18th minute for a penalty which he himself blasted to the net and the Dunloy target man amassed a personal first-half total of 1-6.

Antrim were sharper in almost every area of the pitch with championship debutante Malachy Molloy very impressive at centre back. However, they were given too much time by a London side which only seemed to be competitive enough at this level in the full-back line and occasionally with Lohan at midfield and, of course, Timmy Moloney in attack.

London did find an oasis in their Casement Park desert when they held the home team scoreless from the 46th to the 54th minute, shooting five points themselves. But the game was long gone by that stage and the scoreboard merely began to take on some kind of respectability.

However, Antrim's main attackers and goal scorers, Gregory O'Kane and Conor McCambridge, rounded off the scoring with two points each, making the final score look every bit as comprehensive for Antrim as the game itself was.