McEntee pleased to get over the line as London push Antrim to the limit

CLOSE-RUN BATTLE: Antrim's Cathal Hynds tussles with Shay Rafter of London. Pic: Leah Scholes, Inpho

Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final: Antrim 3-11 London 2-10  

RELIEF was the overriding emotion for Antrim at Corrigan Park on Sunday as they avoided a shock against London to reach the quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup.

Going into the game, the Saffrons were firm favourites, but it was far from plain sailing as London were right in the mix until Aghagllon clubman Ruairi McCann needed his second goal of the day deep into added time to finally break The Exiles' resistance.

"We were stretched to the limit to get a result there and I was glad to hear the final whistle," said a thankful Antrim manager, Andy McEntee.

"The way they (London) play, you don't want to be playing catch-up as they do defend well and defend deep. Once they got the (early) four-point lead, our boys maybe got a bit tight and we had nine wides in the first half.

"But they stuck at it and big Ruairi does his usual stuff. We got goals and some of the lads really pushed on."

London already had 1-1 on the board as a move through the hands culminated in Michael Byrne saving from Ruairi Rafferty, but Stephen Dornan finished the rebound.

Joshua Obahor added a point before the hosts finally got into it as a break from Marc Jordan saw him feed Ryan McQuillan and his pass inside was palmed home by Aghagallon's Ruairi McCann.

After an exchange of scores, London lost Cahir Healy to a back card on 26 minutes for a foot trip, but Antrim didn't quite take full advantage as although they edged ahead with points from Niall Burns and Paddy McAleer, the wides were stacking up with eight in total in the first half.

Confidence was flowing for London and it soared further on 29 minutes as Ciarán McKeon cut in along the left end-line and squared for Michael Carroll to palm home.

Antrim had drawn level at the break thanks to scores from Ryan McQuillan and Eunan Walsh to leave it 1-5 to 2-2, but it was the visitors who would have been much happier at this stage.

Antrim began the second half with more purpose as Patrick McBride slung over an early score, but Byrne had to be alert again to deny the outstretched Dornan from fisting home his second.

Joseph Finnegan and the industrious Marc Jordan added points and after Carroll hit back with one for London, Antrim had a second goal in rather fortuitous fashion as Dermot McAleese's shot dropped and with McCann making a nuisance of himself at the edge of the square, the ball beat Andrew Walsh and ended up in the net.

This made it 2-5 to 2-3 and Antrim looked set to kick on, but in fact it was London who replied with the next four points to reduce the gap back to one.

Substitute Dominic McEnhill then steadied the hosts once again with a brace, but Byrne was again called into action when London substitute PJ O'Flaherty rose to get his fist to a dropping ball that seemed destined for the net until Byrne acrobatically tipped it over.

A Ciaran Diver free left one in it with five to play and although Conor Hand hit back for the hosts, it was London pressing for a winning goal in added time.

However, the green flag came at the other end with Jordan bursting forward and feeding McCann to finish and settle the argument, easing Antrim's nerves as they go into the hat for Monday's quarter-final draw.

"It was probably on show last week (against Sligo) in a different guise, but they showed a bit of character and stuck at it," McEntee added.

"We kept trying to do the right thing and thankfully, we got a lucky break with the (second) goal but then it was a similar break they got with one of their goals, so maybe they cancelled each other out."

Scorers for Antrim: R McCann (Aghagallon) 2-0, D McAleese 1-0, R McQuillan 0-2 (1f), D McEnhill 0-2 (1f), N Burns 0-1, E Walsh 0-1, P McBride 0-1, J Finnegan 0-1, P McAleer 0-1 (1m), M Jordan 0-1, C Hand 0-1.

Scorers for London: M Carroll 1-1, C Diver 0-4 (2f), S Dornan 1-0, J Obahor 0-1, O Kerr 0-1, D Clarke 0-1, DJ O'Flaherty 0-1, T Barry 0-1.

ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Jospeh Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Paddy McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Colm McLarnon, Paddy McBride, Ruairi McCann (Creggan); Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon), Marc Jordan.

Subs: Dominic McEnhill for R McQuillan (52), Conor Hand for P McBride (52), James McDOnnell for K Kennan (62), Conhuir Johnston for P McAleer (68), Peter Healy for R McCann (Aghagallon 70+4).

LONDON: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Eoin Walsh, Nathan McElwaine; Oran Kerr, Cahir Healy, Aidan McLoughlin; Stephen Dornan, Ruairi Rafferty; Ciaran McKeon, Michael Carroll, Ciaran Diver; Joshua Obahor, Daniel Clarke, Shay Rafter.

Subs: DJ O'Flaherty for J Obahor (48), Tighe Barry for N McElwaine (57), Joseph McGill for R Rafferty (61), Michael Miller for O Kerr (70), Sean Tucker for M Carroll (70+1).

REFEREE: Conor Dourneen (Cavan)