ULSTER MHC FINAL Antrim 4-16 Derry 0-9: ANTRIM COASTED to their seventh consecutive Ulster minor hurling title at Casement Park yesterday with a fully-deserved victory over outclassed Derry.
A scrambled goal by Stephen Beattie in the 14th minute and another major by Conor McCann on 18 minutes left the young Saffrons 2-7 to 0-5 ahead at the break.
Derry never looked like making a close game of it during the second half with further goals by substitute Ciarán Clarke in the 54th minute and McCann three minutes into injury time completely demolishing Derry’s challenge. The winners had all the answers and but for wayward shooting – they hit 16 wides – it would have been even worse for Derry.
ANTRIM: M Donaghy; R McCloskey, M Donnelly, C McGuinness; C Morgan, C McClelland, J McLister; C Laverty, S Smyth; S Beattie (1-3), M Devlin (0-4, two frees, 0-1 pen), D McKinley (0-1); M Lismore (0-2), C McCann 2-3), S McAfee. Subs: S Shannon (0-1, free)for Morgan (half-time), C Clarke (1-1, 0-1 free)for McAfee (half-time), C Duffin (0-1)for McKinley (55 mins), D McPeake for McCloskey (58 mins), R O'Neill for Lismore (59 mins).
DERRY: K McDermott; C Convery, D O'Neill, C Conway; K McKaigue, B Herron, B Og McGilligan; C Gilmore, G O'Neill; S Farren (0-2), P Kelly (0-1), O O'Doherty (0-1); C O'Kane (0-3, two frees), E McKillion, M McGlade (0-1). Subs: D McCusker (0-1)for Herron (37 mins), A Armstrong for O'Neill (37 mins), C Cassidy for Gilmore (42 mins), C Farren for Kelly (59 mins).
Referee: D Magee(Down).