Ciaran Clarke fires Antrim to heavy win over Westmeath

Antrim's Ciaran Clarke

Antrim 4-25 Westmeath 1-15 

A tally of 2-8 from Antrim corner-forward Ciaran Clarke helped the Saffron hurlers to a 19-point win over Westmeath in the opening round of the Joe McDonagh Cup at a blustery Corrigan Park, Belfast.

The Ballycastle clubman was on fire, contributing 2-2 from play and having a hand in a number of scores throughout the 70 minutes of what was a commanding Antrim performance.

Westmeath had the advantage of a strong breeze in the first half but it was Antrim who set the tone with Clarke’s first goal arriving after four minutes for a 1-1 to 0-1 advantage after Darragh Clinton and Gerard Walsh had swapped scores.

The sides were level, 1-4 to 0-7, on 23 minutes but Antrim outscored their visitors 1-5 to 0-1 in the remainder of the half, with captain Conor McCann finding the net to help Antrim to a 2-9 to 0-8 lead at the break.

Clarke opened the second half scoring, with Brendan Murtagh answering with a Westmeath free but further points from Walsh, McCann, and Eoghan Campbell coupled with Clarke’s second major put the game beyond Westmeath.

Aodhán O’Brien added Antrim’s fourth goal, and although namesake Niall O’Brien raised a green flag at the other end, it served as only temporary respite as Antrim continued to pile on the agony. Niall McKenna and Keelan Molloy ended the game with 0-4 each, with subs Damon McMullan and Simon McCrory also adding scores.

Antrim travel to Carlow next week, while Westmeath will aim to get their campaign back on track with a home game against Kerry.

Scorers for Antrim: C Clarke (2-8, 6f); C McCann (1-3); N McKenna, K Molloy (0-4 each); A O’Brien (1-0), G Walsh, E Campbell (0-2 each); D McMullan, S McCrory (0-1 each). 

Scorers for Westmeath: B Murtagh (0-6f); Niall O’Brien (1-2); D Clinton (0-4); A Clarke, N Mitchell, S Williams (0-1 each). 

Antrim: R Elliott; P Duffin, M Donnelly, S Rooney; G Walsh, P Burke, J Maskey; E Campbell, R McGarry; N McKenna, A O’Brien, K Molloy; D McCloskey, C McCann, C Clarke. 

Subs: N McKeague for A O’Brien (51), D McMullan for R McGarry (59), R McCambridge for D McCloskey (61), R Molloy for G Walsh (63), S McCrory for E Campbell (65). 

Westmeath: E Skelly; J Bermingham, T Doyle, C Shaw; A Craig, A Clarke, C Boyle; R Greville, J Galvin; N Mitchell, D McNicholas, J Boyle; Niall O’Brien, B Murtagh, D Clinton. 

Subs: E Price for J Galvin (22), A Devine for McNicholas (ht), S Williams for N Mitchell (48), A Cox for C Boyle (55), S McGovern for J Bermingham (60). 

Ref: S Stack (Dublin)