Gaelic Games

McKenna Cup: Antrim get off the mark as they cruise by Queen’s

Meanwhile Fermanagh edged past St Mary’s on a historical night in Garvaghey

Antrim’s Kevin Niblock gets away from Shea Heffron of Queen’s University Belfast. Photo: Matt Mackey/Inpho
Antrim’s Kevin Niblock gets away from Shea Heffron of Queen’s University Belfast. Photo: Matt Mackey/Inpho
Wed Jan 06 2016 - 22:11

Antrim 3-11 QUB 1-11

Antrim secured their first points of the 2016 Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup with a six-point win over Queen’s University at the Dub on Wednesday.

Three superb second half goals, two from Brian Neeson and one from Michael McCann, secured a deserved victory for the Saffrons.

Wind-assisted Queens had the better of the opening half, with Martin Clarke on song from frees, and the students led 0-8 to 0-5 at the break.

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Substitute Neeson’s first goal, four minutes after the restart, brought Antrim to within a point, but the Antrim celebrations had barely finished when a fortuitous effort from Gerard McGovern looped into the Saffron net. McCann coolly picked his spot on 51 minutes and a sublime chipped effort from Neeson sealed the win in injury time.

Antrim: R Hanna; K O'Boyle, P Gallagher, J McGreevy; M Hynes, J Crozier (0-1), C Fleming (0-4f); J Carron, S McVeigh; C Murray (0-1), K Niblock (0-2), T McCann (0-1f); M McCann (1-0), S Burke, P Kelly. Subs: B Neeson (2-1) for S Burke (34), D Nugent (0-1) for J Carron (52), M Armstrong for C Fleming (57), J Dowling for P Kelly (67).

QUB: J Denney; G McCabe, C Cullen, B Burns; N Delargy, S Heffron, M Monan (0-1); B Rodgers, A Doherty; R Murray (0-2), M Clarke (0-4f), D McAleese; R Corrigan, G McGovern (1-3), C Martin. Subs: C Hamill for M Clarke (44), (black card), H Brown for C Martin (55), B Bradley (0-1f) for M Monan (57), C Lavelle for C Cullen (60).

Referee: B Rice (Down).

Fermanagh 1-13 St Mary’s 0-14

For once the result was a mere footnote, with Maggie Farrelly’s historic appointment as the first female to take charge of a senior inter-county GAA match the only talking point from last night’s McKenna Cup tie in Garvaghey.

The Cavan whistler, who also made history last year taking charge of an Ulster minor championship match, was composed and in control throughout, despite terrible playing conditions at the Tyrone centre of excellence.

In a tight first half, which finished 0-6 apiece, she faced her first real test after 28 minutes, booking Tomas Corrigan and Danny McBride who tangled with each other after the former was booked for over-carrying.

However it’s St Mary’s forward Matthew Fitzpatrick who will be the name featuring in pub quizzes for years to come, after being sent-off by Farrelly in the 57th minute for two yellow card offences.

Ciaran Flaherty scored a second-half goal as Fermanagh edged an otherwise forgettable game.

Fermanagh: C Snow; A Breen, B Mulrone (0-1), K Connor; C Flaherty (1-1), C Jones, F Gillen; D McCusker, E McHugh; E Donnelly (0-1), J Duffy, J McMahon; P Cadden, M Jones, T Corrigan (0-6, 2f). Subs: P McCusker for Clarke (HT), D McCusker for McManus (HT), D Kelly for McMahon (45), S Quigley (0-4, 2f) for Cadden (47).

St Mary's: R Burns; P McAleer, D McBride (0-1), C McCooey; K McKernan (0-3), N McParland, H Loughran; P Carragher, B Og McGilligan; P McBride (0-1), C McCann (0-1), R Johnston (0-1); D Kavanagh (0-5, 2f), M Fitzpatrick (0-1), N Toner. Subs: N McNicholl (0-1) for McGilligan (HT), C Meyler for Carragher (46), C Byrne for Loughran (46), A Nugent for McAleer (49).

Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).