Armagh into Ulster semis after tough Antrim test

All-Ireland champions Armagh withstood an unexpectedly tough challenge from Antrim to progress to the Ulster Football semi-finals on a 1-34 to 1-23 scoreline at Corrigan Park.

The Antrim players had threatened to boycott the fixture if it wasn't played at their home venue which put them under a degree of pressure to perform.

They responded with a vigorous display as man of the match Patrick McBride's four-two pointers - including three from play - helped them to a 0-14 to 0-13 half-time lead as Armagh appeared mildly rattled by the Saffrons' physical approach.

It could have even been better for Antrim at half-time as impressive corner-back Kavan Keenan had a 20th-minute penalty saved by Blaine Hughes, in what was the keeper's first act of the match after Ethan Rafferty had been black carded for the foul on Ruairi McCann, which had led to the spot-kick.

The sides were still level at 0-16 to 0-16 five minutes after the restart but Armagh then took control by hitting an unanswered 1-6 as championship debutant Tomas McCormack hammered in their 44th-minute goal.

As Armagh's strong bench told, the Sam Maguire Cup holders hit seven straight points to increase their lead to 1-33 to 0-22 but Andy McEntee's side, who were relegated to Division Four of the Allianz Football League three weeks ago, never gave up as Ryan McQuillan bundled in their goal two minutes from time.

Armagh, who began the contest with only five of their starters from last year's All-Ireland final, will next be in action in the Ulster semi-final on 26 April against the winners of Sunday's game at Omagh between Tyrone and Cavan while Antrim now must plan for another Tailteann Cup campaign.

The venue for Saturday's provincial encounter had been a saga in itself with the Antrim players insisting they wouldn't fulfil the fixture if wasn't staged at the west Belfast venue, with the Saffrons having been first out of the hat when the draw was made in the autumn.

As the dispute rumbled on, Ulster GAA initially announced that Newry's Pairc Esler would stage the game, citing health and safety considerations amid the expected big demand from Armagh fans, before Corrigan Park was confirmed as the venue on 25 March.

Amid it all, Antrim suffered a hugely disappointing relegation to Division Four which suggested that there would be a huge gulf between the sides but after Armagh moved into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead, McBride, playing on his home St Johns' pitch, responded with the first of his four marvellous two-pointers.

His second three minutes later moved the Saffrons into a 0-5 to 0-3 lead after McQuillan had also pointed for the home side.

A two-pointer free from keeper Rafferty started a run of five unanswered Armagh points before he was black carded for conceding the penalty as he clearly fouled McQuillan after dropping a high ball into the square.

The penalty took an age to be taken the players waited for Hughes to come on and the replacement keeper dived full length to his left to stop Keenan's shot.

While a Grugan two-point free increased Armagh's lead to 0-10 to 0-5, Antrim refused to capitulate as a Dominic McEnhill two-pointer and two more from the superb McBride put the Saffrons 0-14 to 0-12 up before Darragh McMullen replied seconds before half-time.

Championship debutant Tomas McCormack hammered in Armagh's goal after Dominic McEnhill had lost possession at the other end of the field

McBride extended Antrim's lead immediately after the restart and the Saffrons were still on terms by the 41st minute as Ruairi McQuillan responded to a two-point free from Armagh's half-time substitute Oisin O'Neill and a Callum O'Neill score.

But Armagh finally began to escape the Saffrons shackles as scores by Ross McQuillan and substitute Aidan Forker were followed by McCormack's superb goal to the roof of the net following a lightning break after McEnhill had lost possession at the other end of the pitch.

An Oisin O'Neill two-pointer and two more Grugan scores extended Armagh's lead to nine by the 49th minute to effectively put the contest to bed.

The Saffrons, however, continued to battle as a McQuillan two-pointer free helped cut the margin to six.

And while a run of seven straight Armagh scores as substitutes Jemar Hall and Cian McConville were among those on target, gave the Orchard men a rather flattering 14-point lead, McQuillan's late scrambled goal gave the scoreboard a more accurate look.

Antrim: M Byrne (0-2); E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, M Jordan (0-1), D McAleese (capt); C Hand, C Stewart; P McBride (0-9), P Finnegan, R Boyle (0-1); R McQuillan (1-5), R McCann, D McEnhill (0-4).

Subs: E Quinn (0-1) for Stewart HT, J McDonnell, J Morgan for McAuley 48, J Lenehan, N Burns for Jordan 46, F Nagle for Finnegan 54, R Murray for McEnhill 46.

Not used: L Mulholland, A Loughran, C Johnston, P King.

Armagh: E Rafferty (0-3); G Murphy, B McCambridge (0-1), T McCormack (1-1); R McQuillan (0-3), G McCabe (0-2), Connaire Macken; J Og Burns; C O'Neill (0-4); D McMullen (0-1), R Grugan (0-8), P McGrane; T Kelly, A Murnin (0-1), S Campbell.

Subs: B Hughes for Kelly 20, O O'Neill (0-6) for Hughes HT, J Hall (0-1) for Campbell 49, C McConville (0-2) for McMullen 52, Forker (0-1) for Murnin 55. Blood subs: Hall for McQuillan 24, Forker for O'Neill.

Not used: J Morgan, C Higgins, D Magee, S Conlon, C O'Hanlon

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry)