There was a certain synchronicity to tonight's win for Antrim footballers over Femanagh. We led by double scores at half time, 08 - 04, and at full time, 0-16 - 0-8 and for the second time in a row Antrim won a Division 3 match against Ulster opposition by 8 points. That's a good nights work whatever way you look at it.
And yet there was almost a feeling of anti claimax about this game. The crowd was as big as I can remember for a league game (The Stand was declared full 5 mins before throw in), the pitch looked great and the floodlights make for real sense of occassion. But Fermanagh were poor. Poor enough that this was never the tight, exciting end to end game some of us had envisaged.
Once Antrim settled into the game it was rarely in doubt. Antrim really have moved up a gear over the last year. There are features of the Antrim game now which we almost take for granted, like ferocious defending and tackling, terrific high fielding from Michael McCann, a beauty of a point from Kevin O'Boyle, powerful running from Loughrey and Thomas McCann, Paddy's accuracy from frees. Well we can now add Michael Magill magnetic aura, whenever the ball is in the general vicinity of our strong full forward he gathers it in. His handling may let him down at times but he has great strength and he showed tonight an eye for a point.
Some of the Antrim scores were terrific, especially our third and fourth in the first half, and the four of five with which we saw out the game. Loughrey scored probably the pick of our points, finishing of a move which he had started in the half back line by taking a return pass and splitting the posts right down the middle. Michael Pollock and Conor Murray came off the bench to show that we already have strength in depth even before the return of players from all Ireland club finalists, St Galls.
We lacked a goal tonight which would have enlivened the large crowd, but that is a minor quibble.
Three wins out of three, we are now genuine promotion candidates, with plenty to look forward to this year. Club Aontroma had a good night too, doing brisk business with ballot sales, and I even got bought a half time cup of tea! Life is good for the Saffrons!
The general consensus appeared to be that Antrim were "...playing within themselves...", or "...were in second gear....". It may have been, and if so, is a significant milestone in itself, since a team that can control the game to simply respond to the opposition, is a maturing team? Look at the "big" Ulster teams in recent years who always minimised effort to simply win the game?
ReplyDeleteLots of good work defending and tackling at the 35/40 metre line. More required from the front men? Magill is a ball-magnet!
Another good night's entertainment, and opportunity beckons!
Remember last year- Match-Day 1, versus Wicklow, at Casement, and a "scrambled" draw - could anyone believe the past year and, 3 defeats(Sligo/Tyrone/Kerry) from 16 games!
Three defeats from 16 games, that a perspective I hadn't thought of before.
ReplyDeleteMy 8 year old son simply expects Antrim to win every game now - started bringing him after the Tommy Murphy win eregularly last year and he has only seen the team lose twice. Hope its stays that way.