Tyrone turn on the power to sweep Antrim aside

Tyrone 2-9 Antrim 0-6: Holders Tyrone swept into the Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals with a comfortable win over Antrim at Healy Park last night.

The Red Hands had the ball in the net after just 30 seconds, Harry Óg Conlan making the incision through the heart of the Saffron defence, before Lee Brennan crossed for Padraig McNulty to punch home. Ronan O’Neill and Lee Brennan converted frees, and goalkeeper Niall Morgan drilling two ‘45s between the posts.

Michael McCann finally struck Antrim’s opening point from a free, but Brennan cut in from the right in stoppage time to beat three defenders and finish with pinpoint accuracy to the net, Tyrone ahead by 2-5 to 0-2 at the break.

Antrim did manage a couple of points in the closing stages, but finished the evening without a single score from play.

Tyrone scorers:

L Brennan 1-1 (0-1f), P McNulty 1-0, N Morgan (2 ’45, 1f), R O’Neill 0-3 each, C McAliskey (f), C McShane 0-1 each 0-1.

Antrim scorers:

C Fleming 0-4 (3 f, 1’45), M McCann 0-2 (2f).

TYRONE:

N Morgan; A McCrory, C McCarron, HP McGeary; B Tierney, J McMahon, P Harte; H Og Conlan, C Clarke; S Cavanagh, M Bradley, C McShane; L Brennan, P McNulty, R O’Neill.

Subs:

C McAliskey for Cavanagh (43), D McCurry for O’Neill (45), M Donnelly for McCrory (45), J Munroe for Harte (52), P Quinn for Brennan (55), N Sludden for McShane (70).

ANTRIM:

C Kerr; K O’Boyle, J Carron, J McGreevy; J Lavery, J Crozier, B Sinnott; J Dowling, S McVeigh; M Armstrong, K Niblock, M McCann; P Kelly, B Beeson, D Nugent.

Subs:

C Fleming for Kelly (25), O Hamill for McGreevy (h-t), P Gallagher for Sinnott (h-t), C Duffin foir Armstrong (49), Kelly for Dowling (57.