Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8: Orchard County outclass Saffrons in Ulster Football opener

Armagh earned a 0-20 to 1-8 win over Antrim in the Ulster SFC opener at the Athletic Grounds as the gulf in class between the sides was obvious.

The Orchard men punished Antrim for numerous mistakes as they moved 0-9 to 0-1 up, although the Saffrons reduced the margin to 0-10 to 0-4 by half-time.

Armagh extended their lead to 0-13 to 0-4 before Antrim rallied as a Conor Stewart goal cut the deficit to five.

But Kieran McGeeney's side regrouped with late scores to close out the game.

Conor Turbitt hit 0-8 - including four scores from play - while midfielder Shane McPartlan's impressive debut for the Orchard men included kicking four superb points in a game watched by a crowd of 10,063.

Armagh's dominant win sets up a provincial quarter-final meeting with Cavan on 22 April.

Tailteann Cup beckons for Antrim

For Antrim, the Tailteann Cup beckons after another disappointing Ulster Championship display as they remain without a victory in the provincial series since their win over Fermanagh in 2014.

Prior to the game, it was hard to advance a case that Antrim might cause a shock despite Armagh's relegation from Division One and the contest followed that script early on as Rory Grugan's second-minute free started a run of five straight points by the Orchard men.

Grugan's score came after Ryan Murray dropped an Antrim shot into Ethan Rafferty's hands and that was the tale of the tone-setting opening half - Armagh punishing Saffrons' mistakes even though the Orchard men were far from their best.

After Aidan Forker's unchallenged midfield take set up Ciaran Mackin's second Armagh score, the Orchard men had a glorious goal chance but Antrim keeper Michael Byrne made a superb save to deny Jason Duffy, who had won a long ball from Grugan.

More sloppiness from Antrim as James Morgan dispossessed Kevin Small allowed Turbitt to open his account in the ninth minute and the Clann Eireann man hit Armagh's next two points as they moved 0-5 to 0-0 ahead.

Aghagallon's version of Ruairi McCann finally opened Antrim's account in the 17th minute but that only spurred the home side to respond with four further unanswered points by the 28th minute.

Armagh's victory sets up an Ulster quarter-final meeting with Cavan on 22 April

Antrim had a more productive period before half-time as a Conor Stewart score was followed by a beauty with his outside of his boot by corner-back Eoghan McCabe as they reduced Armagh's lead to 0-10 to 0-4.

The Saffrons needed to keep that momentum going following the restart but instead a thumping 50-metre free from keeper Ethan Rafferty started a run of three more Armagh points - which included McPartlan's second score.

The game's most encouraging moments from an Antrim point of view then arrived as a point from corner-back James McAuley was followed by their 51th-minute goal as Marc Jordan's exchange of passes with substitute Odhran Eastwood released Stewart to sprint clear of the Orchard defence before he coolly fired underneath Rafferty.

But any prospect of Antrim further reducing the Armagh lead was immediately snuffed out by steadying points from McPartlan and Grugan.

Turbitt hit Armagh's final four points to bring up his tally to an impressive 0-8 although he will know fully well that he can expect to come up against much more frugal defences in the coming weeks and months.

But the encouraging thing from Armagh's point of view is that they hit 0-20 despite being without star forward Rian O'Neill and Andrew Murnin, while Jarlath Og Burns also played no part in the contest after being ruled out by flu.

Armagh: E Rafferty (0-1); J Morgan, A McKay, A Forker; Ciaran Mackin (0-1), G McCabe, B McCambridge; B Crealey, S McPartlan (0-4); S Campbell (0-1), R Grugan (0-3), J Duffy (0-1); J Hall (0-1), C Turbitt (0-8), T Kelly (0-1).

Subs: R McQuillan for Morgan 50 mins, S Sheridan for Crealey 53, A Nugent for Hall 56, C McConville for Campbell 64, C Higgins for McCambridge 65.

Not used: S Magill, R Finn, Connaire Mackin, E Woods, J Kieran, O Conaty

Antrim: M Byrne; E McCabe (0-1), P Healy, J McAuley (0-1); P McCormick, J Finnegan, M Jordan; C Stewart (1-1), K Small; C McLarnon, Ruairi McCann (0-1), P McBride; P Shivers (0-1), Ruairi McCann (0-1), R Murray (0-1 free)

Subs: P Finnegan for McLarnon 24, A Loughran for McBride 46, O Eastwood (0-1) for Murray 46, D McEnhill for Shivers 62, J Dowling for Small 65

Not used: L Mulholland, B McCormick, D Lynch, S O'Neill, R Boyle

Referee: J Henry (Mayo)