Ulster Under-21s: Armagh see off Antrim in quarter-final

Armagh beat Antrim in the Ulster Under-21 Championship

Armagh sealed their place in the semi-finals of the Ulster Under-21 Football Championship by beating Antrim 2-13 to 1-5 at the Athletic Grounds.

Ryan McShane's goal after 27 minutes helped Armagh establish a big interval advantage of 1-10 to 0-3.

Niall Grimley palmed home a second goal immediately after the restart before Antrim captain Dermot McAleese scored a fine goal in the 46th minute.

Armagh will now meet Tyrone in the Ulster semi-finals on 1 April.

Donegal will go up against Monaghan in the other last four clash..

The quarter-final should have been played on Wednesday night but had to be postponed because Armagh's floodlights were not working.

In Sunday's rearranged game, Antrim were quickly into their stride, actually leading by two points to one after six minutes with points from Ruairi Scott (free) and Patrick McAleer.

But Armagh used the strong wind to their advantage, dominating midfield through senior county players Ethan Rafferty and Ciaran O'Hanlon who took control.

Armagh hit seven unanswered points in a 12-minute spell to take a commanding lead, with Ryan McShane scoring two of them.

The same player palmed home the opening goal after an unselfish pass by Callum Comiskey at the end of the first half.

Having built up such a big lead, Grimley's goal after the restart putting them 13 points clear, Armagh took their foot off the pedal and faded in a poor second half.

McAleese's screaming finish across the Armagh goalkeeper was allowed to stand, despite the referee having already blown his whistle for a foul on the same player. It was no consolation as the Saffrons slumped to a humiliating defeat.

Armagh: B Hughes; G McCabe, S Heffron, J Cosgrove; F Burns, D O'Neill (0-1), D Nugent; C O'Hanlon (0-1), E Rafferty (0-2, 2f); N Grimley (1-1), C Comiskey, C Mackin (0-1); A Nugent (0-3, 1f), C McKenna (0-1), R McShane (1-2)

Subs: P Campbell for Burns (38), A McKay for Grimley (38), G Mackin for O'Hanlon (40), J Grugan (0-1) for McKenna (51), M Murphy for Rafferty (51)

Antrim: R Hanna; C O'Rawe, J Hannigan, G McCorley; R Wilson, P McAleer (0-1), C McCann; R McCafferty, C Burke; C Mallon, D McAleese (1-1), J Scullion; R Scott (0-1, f), M Fitzpatrick, R McCann (0-1)

Subs: J O'Connell for Hannigan (BC, 25), S McGarry for Scott (HT), P McPartland for Wilson (HT), C McNeill (0-1) for R McCann (40), D Trainor for McAleese (57), P Fitzsimmons for Burke (57)

Referee: Brendan Rice (Down)