Ulster under 20 hurling final
Antrim 3-25 Down 2-10
By Seamus McAleenan
Down went into Wednesday evening’s Ulster under 20 hurling final at the Dub knowing that they were going to have to improve a lot on their group meeting with Antrim to have any chance of dethroning the champions.
They have improved – but so too have Antrim who just had far too much movement in the forward line. The Down defence were under constant pressure from the diagonal ball into the inside line that seemed to have plenty of space on the short Dub pitch.
Ben Teggart was superb at the back and even moved into the forward line to poach two goals in the final ten minutes. Also in top class form was Cian Clarke who pulled off several brilliant saves.
At the other end the Saffrons’ captain Liam Glackin and his defence allowed none of the Down forwards inside to trouble Sean óg McLaren until Teggart moved out of defence. Until then the Ards’ team relied solely on Cahal Coleman for scores.
The Portaferry man took points from every chance he got, doing his best to keep his side in the game. He scored seven times in the first half, including four in the last five minutes, but Down still trailed by 2-14 to 0-8 at the break.
Antrim’s inside forwards Fiontan Bradley and Oisin McCallin did most of the damage.
It was 0-3 each when Ronan Fitzgerald’s pass played in Bradley for the opening goal. Clarke had no chance with the shot.
McCallin then stepped up with four of the next five points and was denied a goal by a spectacular diving save from Clarke. Scores from Niall Magee, Charlie McAuley (two), Thomas McLaughlin and McCallin had Antrim 1-13 to 0-4 up by the 20th minute.
Despite those late points from Coleman that doubled Down’s total before the break, Magee’s shot from distance came back off an upright and McCallin swept the sliotar to the net.
Antrim, aided by a goal from Cadhan Crawford in the 33rd minute, pushed on to 3-19 before Cathal Coleman added to Down’s interval tally.
Subs Oisín McCamphill, Jay McAlonan and Ronan McGarry all added points before full-back Ben Teggart moved up for Down’s first goal in the 53rd minute, taking possession and scything through the Antrim defence with just one outcome on his mind.
Teggart was to add a second goal from a free in the 57th minute. It added a little respectability to the score-line for a team that was simply outplayed on the evening.
Down now move into the All-Ireland under 20B championship, a competition they have held for the past two years. A third successive national crown at this level is far from guaranteed, but they have a good chance of making it – as long as they recover from this Ulster final test.
Antrim: O McCallin 1-7 (0-4fs), F Bradley and C Crawford 1-2 each, Conor Donnelly 0-3, T McLaughlin, C McAuley and J McAlonan 0-2 each, N Magee, O O’Connor, O McCamphill, R Fitzgerald and R McGarry 0-1 each
Down: B Taggart 2-0 (1-0f), C Coleman 0-9 (0-5 fs), R Breen 0-1
Antrim: S Óg McLaren; Cathair Donnelly, L Glackin capt, C ward; N Magee, C McIlwaine, C McCann; C McAuley, T McLaughlin; L McEnhill, O O’Connor, Conor Donnelly; F Bradley, O McCallin, R Fitzgerald.
Subs used: C Crawford, J McAlonan, O McCamphill, J McDonnell, R McGarry, B O’Kane, C Mooney, R Donnelly
Down: C Clarke; P McGarry, B Taggart, C Ennis; M Gilmore, S Pucci, C Monan; R Breen, S MCollum; C Coleman, L Morgan, S McCarthy; D Pucci, L Blaney, J Dougan.
Subs: D Rogers, A Taggart, M Dorrian, D McGrath, C O’Neill, D Morrissey.
Referee: J Callaghan
