McCann's last-gasp effort seals Antrim win

Antrim 0-13 Sligo 0-12:ANTRIM SNATCHED a one-point victory over Sligo with a dramatic injury-time score at Casement Park on Saturday night.

In the end the home team still had that one-point advantage on a 0-13 to 0-12 scoreline as Tomás McCann fired over a 74th-minute free-kick to stun the visitors who had levelled the argument two minutes earlier.

The first half was typical early-season football with mistakes plentiful and Antrim, playing with the wind, shooting seven wides to three from Sligo.

It was the visitors who took control after the restart of play as they raced into a two-point lead at 0-8 to 0-6 at the end of the third quarter.

Mark Breheny, Adrian Marren, Pat Hughes and substitute Colm McGee, who hit over two points within five minutes of entering the action, were on the mark for the visitors who were 0-10 to 0-7 ahead on 52 minutes.

The final phase of the game was by far best of the night as the teams traded scores but Sligo held a 0-11 to 0-10 lead after the hour.

The sides were then level twice before McCann grabbed the winner from a 25-metre place-kick, four minutes into injury-time and just seconds before the final whistle.

ANTRIM: C Kerr; P Gallagher, D O’Hagan, M McAleese; T Scullion, J Crozier, J Loughery; C Murray (0-1), C Kelly; M Sweeney, P Cunningham (0-2, 0-2 frees), M Armstrong; B Neeson (0-3), T McCann (0-5, 0-4 frees frees, 0-1 45), K Brady (0-1). Subs: S McDonagh for Murray (inj, 47 mins), S Finch (0-1) for Sweeney (56 mins), M Johnston for Gallagher (64 mins).

SLIGO: V Cadden; C Harrison, J Martyn, R O Donnabháin; J Davey, S McManus, P McGovern; B Egan, E Mullen; M Breheny (0-2, 0-1 free), A Costello, P Hughes (0-1); S Cohen, A Marren (0-5, 0-3 frees), N Murphy. Subs: J Clarke (0-1) for Cohen (42 mins), C McGee (0-3, 0-1 free) for Murphy (47 mins), D Rooney for McManus (64 mins), T Taylor for Egan (inj, 63 mins).

Referee: M Higgins (Fermanagh).