Sweeney and Boyle steer Donegal past Antrim

Donegal 1-15 Antrim 1-09

2003 All-Ireland semi finalists Donegal pencilled in a probable Ulster semi-final clash with Tyrone on June 20th, as the sharp shooting of full forward Adrian Sweeney and Brendan Boyle's 61st minute goal saw them defeat Antrim in Ballybofey.

A listless first half saw eight points shared out between the side but a Michael Hegarty brace and a typically arching Sweeney point from long range saw the home side hit the ground running after the restart.

Colm McFadden increased his prescence on the game and set up Boyle to palm home Donegal's

goal. Saffrons' manager PJ O'Hare saw him son Darren burst through for a consolation goal with two minutes remaining, and will have much on his mind for the qualifiers.

Club commitments last night saw Donegal stalwart Jim McGuinness banished from the bench but the home side did not need the veteran as Antrim's lack of composure in front of the posts and midfielder Mark McCrory's early departure with a head wound in a clash with Christy Toye, helped the home cause.

Brendan Devenney opened the low-scoring first half with a seventh minute free, added to eighteen minutes by the same player.

In between Antrim midfielder Joe Quinn dominated broken play with Kevin Madden clipping over

two frees for a brief 0-02 to 0-01 lead. A strangely quiet Hegarty notched his first soon after and Sweeney's first on 32 minutes answered back Madden and O'Hare as the teams went in at 0-04 apiece.

Brian McEniff's half time talk did wonders for Donegal as a hat-trick of scores put them in the ascendancy.

Antrim, on the other hand, went into their shell as Madden (0-02) and Kevin McGourty were their only scorers until O'Hare clambered through for his late goal.

McFadden held the ball up with split second timing for Boyle to burst onto it through the Saffrons' rearguard and net with nine minutes remaining, after points from Sweeney (0-03), McFadden and Toye had put them 0-12 to 0-07 in front.

McFadden hit two more as Sweeney closed out the win right on 70 minutes with his fifth of the afternoon.

O'Hare's side showed signs of the life they will need in the qualifiers as they hit 1-02 but Donegal were well beyond them.