Sport

Antrim produce emphatic finish

ULSTER SHC SEMI-FINALS/Antrim 2-17 Derry 1-12:   DURING THE closing quarter of last night's Guinness Ulster SHC semi-final at…

Mon Jun 02 2008 - 01:00

ULSTER SHC SEMI-FINALS/Antrim 2-17 Derry 1-12:  DURING THE closing quarter of last night's Guinness Ulster SHC semi-final at Casement Park, Antrim ran riot to blaze past Derry and book their place in the final against Down.

Up until the 47th minute, it looked as if Derry would cause a major upset and overhaul 14-man Antrim, who had centre-forward Liam Watson sent off in the ninth minute for an off-the-ball incident.

That setback clearly hampered Antrim in attack - until they found their range in the closing quarter.

Then they they fired over 10 glorious points from all angles as Derry were sent reeling.

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Derry were 1-6 to 0-2 ahead after 19 minutes. Gavin Kelly scored the goal from a goalmouth scramble and he added a point immediately.

But somehow Antrim got to grips with the situation and after Eddie McCloskey pointed he sent his skipper, Paddy Richmond, through for a neat goal.

Derry refused to wilt and led by 1-8 to 1-6 at the interval. Despite another Antrim goal from Paddy Richmond four minutes after the restart, when the Derry goalkeeper Adrian Magill batted out a centre from Donal McNaughton, it still looked that the holders were in bother.

After the scores were level at 1-9 to 2-6 and 1-10 to 2-7, Ruairí Convery, scorer of eight Derry points, sent his team two points ahead on 44 minutes. But Derry failed to score again.

Antrim sprang to life to hit 10 unanswered points and secure yet another Ulster final against their old rivals Down.

ANTRIM: R McGarry; A Graffin, J McKeague, S Delargy; C Herron, K McKeegan (0-1, a 65), J Campbell; K Stewart (0-2), M Magill; P Richmond (2-3), L Watson (0-1, free), P Shiels (0-4, three frees); M Herron, C Donnelly, D McNaughton. Subs: E McCloskey (0-4) for Magill (4 mins); S McCrory (0-1) for Donnelly (half-time); PJ O'Connell (0-1) for McNaughton (53);

DERRY: A Magill; M Craig, C Quinn, C McQuillan; R McCloskey, S Henry, S McCullough; D Brunton, O McCloskey; P Henry, K Hinphey (0-1), SL McGoldrick; P McCloskey (0-1), R Convery (0-8, six frees, two 65s), G Kelly (1-1). Subs: C McKenna for McQuillan (28), M Kirkpatrick (0-1) for Brunton (29); S Dodds for Henry (53); C Brunton for Craig (69).

Referee: D Magee (Down).