Allianz Football League Division Three, round oneAntrim 1-9 Clare 1-6
ALTHOUGH football’s new rules were intended to produce open, expansive games, conditions at Corrigan were far from pretty, but Antrim managed to fend off Clare to see their Division Three campaign get off to a winning start.
On a day for rolling up the sleeves and making as few errors as possible, Antrim ground it out, but it was a real slog for both sides who were not only dealing with new rules but driving wind and rain which made the basic skills a real challenge as both sets of players struggled with their handling and footing.
This was not a day for silky or expansive football as the new rules intended, but simply a case of getting through it and it was the hosts that perhaps made fewer errors which was winning this game.
“It was horrendous conditions and a chance of it being called off at one stage it was that bad,” Antrim manager, Andy McEntee admitted.
“You wouldn’t learn too much from the new rules out there today apart from the fact both sets of players were fairly disciplined.
“On a day like that it’s not about the amount of sexy points of goals you get, it’s about how many blocks, turnovers, [the amount] of times you get the dirty ball.
“There wasn’t much in it and they (Clare) were pretty honest out here today as well, but I thought our lads were particularly honest.”
Antrim made a blistering start with early scores from Conor Hand and Fionn Nagle before Hand saw a shot from deep hop up and over for the first and last two-pointer of the game.
Better was to come as Paddy McBride broke in on goal and played the ball inside which Nagle tapped to the net to set the hosts on their way.
Clare were in danger of getting overrun but got a real break with 10 gone as Ciaran Downes shaped for a point, but the ball seemed to be taken by a strong gust of wind and dipped into the net.
Emmett McManus kicked a free for The Banner, but it was their last score of the half as Antrim made the better of grim conditions with Conor Stewart, Ryan Murray and McBride kicking points to put them 1-7 to 1-1 up at the break.
Unsurprisingly, it was the visitors on the front foot into the second half as the conditions seemed to deteriorate further and they did begin to carve out opportunities with Sean McAllister seeing a shot tipped out for a 45, but Clare worked it short and this became a feature as they were reluctant to shoot from too deep.
However, points from Ciaran Downes, Aaron Griffin and Emmett McMahon had them to within three with 20 to play.
Antrim were getting into advanced positions, but were unable to work any scores although they would receive a big break with 10 to go as Clare were penalised for only having two players in the opposite half and a 13-metre free was slotted over by McBride with Conor Stewart then thumping over a beauty straight after.
That put five between them and gave Clare a mountain to climb but after McNamara pulled one back, a dropping free broke to substitute Cormac Murray and he managed to get a shot up and over.
Try as they might, Clare just couldn’t find an equalising goal as a late raid came to nothing as Antrim managed to do enough to get over the line.
Antrim M Byrne; J Morgan, E Walsh, K Keenan; R Boyle, J Finnegan, D McAleese; C Stewart (0-2), Conor Hand (0-3, 1tp); P Finnegan, M Jordan, P McBride (0-2, 0-1f); R Murray (0-1), F Nagle (1-1), D McEnhill
Subs R McQuillan for McEnhill (23), P Ferris for Keenan (60), N Burns for McQuillan (70)
Clare E Tubridy; M Doherty, C Brennan, C Rouine; I Ugweru, F Kelliher, A Sweeney; B McNamara (0-1), S McAllister; E Cleary, E McMahon (0-2, 0-1f), D Walsh; C Downes (1-1), A Griffin (0-1), K Sexton
Subs G Murray for McAllister (55), C Murray (0-1) for Griffin (65), S Griffin for Rouine (70), D Burns for Cleary (70)
Referee K Faloon (Armagh)
