No northern exposure for Rebels

NOT a game that will survive in the memory bank for very long, but an experimental Cork side did what it had to against a very poor Antrim outfit to record their second win in succession in Division 1A.

The two points may have been foremost in Gerald McCarthy’s mind on the trip north yesterday, but the Cork manager admitted afterwards that the game was good for little else such was the paucity of the home challenge.

Less than one third of the Cork players who took the throw-in could be regarded as definite starters come the championship but they were at least strong down the spine where Diarmuid O’Sullivan, John Gardiner, and Tom Kenny held sway.

For the rest of the cast, this was a chance to audition for a more prominent role come the summertime, while more familiar faces like Ben O’Connor and Cathal Naughton, were brought on for their first taste of inter-county action this season.

“We were disappointed with our first-half performance, no doubt about that,” admitted McCarthy. “We were very disjointed. I felt early on that Antrim were there to be taken. They didn’t score for the first 15 minutes.

“We upped it a level in the second half, but the wind was a factor too. We were playing against it in the first half. Overall, we have to be happy. We have four points from our two games played and you have to take into consideration that we are down a lot of the established players.”

Not surprisingly, O’Sullivan and Gardiner shone brightest for the visitors. Kieran McGann enjoyed a solid 60 minutes at left half-back, Kevin Canty scored 0-5 from play and Pa Cronin was just short of immaculate in claiming six points from seven frees.

Plaudits, however, are relative. Crushed by 19 points by Waterford in the last round, it boggles to think Antrim could have defeated Wexford so comprehensively earlier in this campaign. Joint manager, Sambo McNaughton made no attempt to hide his displeasure after the final whistle. When asked his thoughts on what had just transpired, his initial reaction was to admit that his true feelings were not fit for printing.

“There comes a time when you just have to put your hands up. We have to look at the whole thing. I know we are not as bad as we were out there, but our touch and our decision-making this past two games hasn’t been good enough.”

The first half was the very definition of a slow burner. Both teams struggled to find any pattern to their play while ten wides had been registered after as many minutes. These were shared equally between the two protagonists. By the close of play, the sides had hit 29 between them. With the strong breeze at their backs, Antrim could ill-afford the slow beginning which saw Cork go into a three-point lead. Gardiner was exerting a calming influence at the pivotal centre-back spot, and he was accompanied by Eoin Cadogan and McGann alongside him.

As the break approached, Cork were eight points to four to the good, but their momentum was stalled when Liam Watson found the net from a 20-metre free after a foul by Gardiner on Karl Stewart.

Any hopes of a compelling joust quickly evaporated within minutes of the restart. Cork’s body language was noticeably sharper and the lead grew accordingly. Antrim’s only input in the second 35 minutes was a point apiece from Paddy McGill and Paul Shiels.

Ballymartle’s Brian Corry could have claimed a hat-trick of goals for Cork in that second period, but had to settle for just the one when he capitalised on a Shane O’Neill point attempt that rebounded kindly off the Antrim post four minutes from time. The home side’s disappointing afternoon was capped just before the final whistle when Watson was sent to the line for a second bookable offence.

Scorers: for Antrim: L Watson 1-1 (0-1f); K McKeegan 0-1f; S McCrory 0-1 P McGill 0-1; K Stewart 0-1; B Quinn 0-1; P Shiels 0-1.

Cork: P Cronin 0-6 (frees); K Canty 0-5; J Gardiner 0-3 (2f, 1 65); B O’Connor 0-3 (1f); C Naughton 0-3; B Corry 1-0; T Kenny 0-2; K Hartnett 0-1; L Desmond 0-1.

ANTRIM: R McCarry; A Griffin, N McGarry, S Delargy; C Herron, J Campbell, M McCambridge; K McKeegan, S McCrory; P McGill, C Donnelly, K Stewart; P Richmond, L Watson, B Quinn.

Subs: P Shiels for Quin (44); E McCloskey for Stewart (65); S McNaughton for Donnelly (65.)

CORK: M Coleman, S O’Neill, D O’Sullivan, S Murphy; E Cadogan, J Gardiner, K McGann; T Kenny, K Hartnett, K Murphy, B Corry, T McCarthy; L Desmond, K Canty, P Cronin.

Subs: B O’Connor for Hartnett (35); C Naughton for Murphy (52); B Murphy for McGann (58); F Leary for McCarthy (60); S White for Cronin 65.

Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).