ALL-IRELAND U-21 HURLING SEMI-FINALS: Clare 4-24 Antrim 0-8:ANTRIM'S DREADFUL record in under-21 hurling semi-finals – no win in 33 attempts – continued at Semple Stadium on Saturday as Clare eased their way into only their second final in this grade.
Antrim manager Johnny McIntosh afterwards admitted: “We are light years behind.”
Clare joint manager Donal Moloney said this facile victory was of little value to them. “We knew it was going to be no good, we came down here and we never considered this was going to be adequate preparation for a final.”
CLARE:R Taaffe; P Flanagan, D McInerney, K Ryan; S Morey (0-2), C Ryan, P O'Connor (0-1); C Galvin, S Golden (0-1); A Cunningham (0-2), P Collins (0-2), T Kelly (0-4, three 65); C McInerney (1-0), C McGrath (2-0), C O'Connell (0-7, two frees). Subs: C Malone (0-1) for Galvin (37 mins), P Duggan (0-1) for Cunningham (37 mins), N Arthur (1-2, one free) for McGrath (44 mins), D O'Halloran (0-1) for O'Connell (44 mns), S O'Halloran for O'Connor (44 mins).
ANTRIM:J O'Mullan; R McCloskey, R Gillan, C Morgan; F Donnellan, M Donnelly, J McCoaig; A McKeown, J Black (0-1); M Devlin (0-2, one free), S Dobbin, K McKiernan (0-2); N Elliot, C McCann, D McCloskey. Subs: E McAlonan (0-1) for McKeon (18 mins), C Laverty (0-1) for Donnellan (32 mins), C Murray for McCoaig (40 mins), D McKinley (0-1) for Dobbin (45 mins), N McFadden for McCann (52 mins).
Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).
