All-Ireland SFC: Sligo 0-22 Antrim 3-07

Jack Dowling's dismissal came early in the second half

Antrim's season came to an end with a comprehensive All-Ireland SFC Round 1A qualifier defeat at Markievicz Park.

The Saffrons led by four points 10 minutes into the second half, but they fell apart after Jack Dowling was sent off and Mark Sweeney got a black card.

Despite scoring three second-half goals, the Ulster side was over-run as Sligo sent over 12 unanswered scores.

The first half had been much closer, Sligo holding a slender 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the break.

Adrian Marron edged the home side in front, but Conor Murray used his pace and directness to fire over a couple of Antrim points.

Sligo goalkeeper Aidan Devaney was almost caught out by a speculative CJ McGourty effort which bounced against a post.

Sweeney operated effectively as sweeper for the Ulster men, and they repelled a series of attacks before Eoin McHugh slotted over the equaliser in the 18th minute.

With Antrim conceding Devaney's kick-outs, Sligo were able to build from the back, going in front with Adrian Marron's second converted free

However, the lead changed hands again, McGourty knocking over a couple of frees, and they were level for the sixth time after Patrick O'Connor steered over two long-range efforts.

Antrim had another goal chance when Ruairi McCann found space in behind the Yeats defence, but smashed his shot wide, and they trailed by a point at the interval.

But McGourty shot Antrim in front from a penalty three minutes into the second half.

Paddy McBride, Niall Delargy and Sean McVeigh combined in a flowing move, before Ruairi McCann was fouled by Ross Donavan, and McGourty drilled the kick into the bottom corner of the net.

But four minutes later they were reduced to 14 men when substitute Jack Dowling received a straight red card for a challenge on Mark Breheny.

However, the Saffrons grabbed another goal soon afterwards when Matthew Fitzpatrick's shot dipped at the last moment and ended in the net.

But the dismissal was compounded by the loss of key man Sweeney on a black card, and Sligo smelt blood and pushed up in all-out attack.

They ran at a crumbling Antrim defence, hitting 11 points on the spin to take total control, with Coen and Marron deadly accurate from frees and play.

Hughes, Murphy and substitute Kevin McDonnell also found the range as the margin stretched to eight points.

Antrim had gone almost half an hour without a score when they plundered a third goal through Paddy McBride, but that stoppage time score meant little in terms of the outcome.

Sligo: A Devaney; R Donavan, E McHugh (0-1), C Harrison; Keelan Cawley, B Egan, J Kelly; A McIntyre, P O'Connor (0-2); N Ewing, M Breheny (0-1, f), N Murphy (0-2); S Coen (0-8, 4f), P Hughes (0-2), A Marren (0-5, 3f).

Subs: K McDonnell (0-1) for McHugh (35 + 7), Kyle Cawley for Breheny (43), G O'Kelly-Lynch for Keelan Cawley (52), S Gilmartin for Kelly (63), S Henry for Hughes (67), D Cummins for O'Connor (68), P Laffey for Harrison (75)

Antrim: C Kerr; N Delargey, P Gallagher, C Hamill; P McBride (1-1), D Lynch, P McAleer; S McVeigh, S Beatty; C Murray (0-3); M Fitzpatrick (1-0), M Sweeney; CJ McGourty (1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-2f), T McCann (0-1), R McCann.

Subs: K O'Boyle for McAleer (blood 10-36), O Gallagher for R McCann (24), J Dowling for Beatty (35 +4), P Healy for Sweeney (BC 55), R Murray for McCann (61), B Bradley for McGourty (61)

Referee: F Kelly (Longford).