ULSTER SHC FINAL Antrim 4-22 Down 1-11:ANTRIM COLLECTED their ninth consecutive title at Casement Park yesterday as they demolished Down.
Right from the throw-in Antrim took control and as early as the 17th minute, the Saffrons were 1-8 to 0-0 up.
Down got their first point from a Paul Braniff free in the 18th minute and they added only two more before the break. By then, the home side was coasting at 2-15 to 0-3 . Watson grabbed the first goal on 14 minutes after Down goalkeeper Graham Clarke had stopped a sharp shot from PJ O’Connell.
The second goal was rocketed to the net by former defender Karl McKeegan in the 31st minute after a long delivery into the area.
Man-of-the match McKeegan got his second goal and Antrim’s third in the 38th minute and O’Connell volleyed the ball home for the fourth goal within 60 seconds from a pass by Watson.
Down was hit another massive blow when Paul Braniff was red-carded in the 51st minute for what seemed an elbow on an Antrim player after they tangled. Braniff hadn’t been booked previously.
ANTRIM: C O'Connell; K McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargy; P Shiels, J Campbell (0-1), C Herron (0-1); S McNaughton (0-6, one free), K Stewart; C McFall, T McCann (0-1), L Watson (1-4 (one free); PJ O'Connell (1-1), N McManus (0-4, 65, free), K McKeegan (2-4). Subs: S McCrory for Stewart (h-t), J McKeague for Campbell (h-t), M Devlin for McNaughton (45), J McIntosh for Watson (45), B McFall for C McFall (62).
DOWN: G Clarke; P Hughes , S Murray, S Ennis; D Flynn (0-1), F Conway, M Ennis; A Savage, C Coulter; C Woods, S Clarke (0-2), E Clarke (0-2, one free); J Coyle (0-1), P Braniff (0-2, frees), J McCusker (0-2, one free). Subs: S Wilson for Hughes (21 mins), C O'Prey for Conway (42 mins), K McGarry (0-1) for Coulter (42 ,mins), P Keith (1-1) for McCusker (55 mins), R McGrattan for M Ennis (66 mins). Yellow Cards: C Woods 19, C Coulter 30, K McGarry 45, M Ennis 58. Red Card: P Braniff 51.
Referee: E Hassan(Derry).
