“What a find.”
With all of the build-up surrounding the ‘Corrigan Park or nowhere’ saga before this Ulster tie between Antrim and Cavan, even the neutrals were fascinated by the outcome.
Enda McGinley has done a fantastic job with the Saffrons, leading them through Division Four last season, and finishing strong at the top half of Division Three this year.
Cavan on the other hand, found themselves playing in the bottom division in 2022, despite winning the provincial title just two years ago.
With all of these variables in mind, and of course the fact that Antrim were having their first home championship game in over a decade, many were pipping those in amber to succeed today.
However, Cavan and Paddy Lynch in particular, clearly disagreed with this estimate, and steamrolled their opponents in a one-sided affair.
The first half was peppered by Breffni attacks, but they were poor in the final third and a big burst from Antrim at the end of the half meant Mickey Graham’s side only went in a point up at the interval.
However, in the second half, Paddy Lynch continued his fine clinical form, winning every ball that was popped in front of him and outworking every man who tried to stop him.
The 22-year-old will no doubt be a huge part of Cavan’s attempts this season to reclaim that Ulster title, and Mickey Harte was full of praise for the young forward.
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Gearoid McKiernan buries the ball in the back of the Antrim goal.
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“I didn’t know a lot about Paddy Lynch until recently, but he has showed again today that he is a serious operator.”
The Louth manager was supported by Tyrone legend Peter Canavan, who said “what a find” when referring to the the dynamic number 14, who kicked 0-8 today.
Michael McCann was starting in midfield for the home side, but a yellow card early in the first half for talking back to the referee left him walking on egg shells, and his worst fears were met when he received his second.
A fairly innocuous tackle by the Cargin man was deemed to be a serious enough mould to warrant the card, and effectively end McCann’s match and Antrim’s hopes along with it.
Down legend Martin Clarke was on commentary with Thomas Niblock on BBC Two and he summed it up bluntly.
“Antrim have been steamrolled by Cavan in the closing stages. They had a greater variety of attacking options and scorers. The Saffrons had an over-reliance on Ryan Murray.”
The last ten minutes were just cruise control for the 2020 Ulster champions, as they continued to tear through the opposition defence and win comfortably, with the score finishing Antrim 0-10 Cavan 1-20.
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