Electric Ireland MHC Quarter-Final

Galway 2-22 Antrim 0-9

By Orla Bannon at Kingspan Breffni Park

Evan Niland scored 1-7 as defending All-Ireland minor hurling champions Galway enjoyed a routine quarter-final win over Antrim at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday.

Galway had the wind in the first half and scored seven points in a row inside 10 minutes to open up a massive cushion they comfortably held on to for the rest of the game.

Jack Canning  scored three points from play in a three-minute burst as the Tribesmen pulled clear in the early stages.

Featuring 10 players from last year's minor-winning squad, including four of the starting team, Galway were 0-10 to 0-1 ahead after 14 minutes with Ross Malone and Ronan Murphy among their point-scorers.

Diarmuid McShane scored Antrim's first point in the 11th minute, but it was all Galway, with Cian Salmon hitting the opening goal in the 30th minute.

Canning kept a lost cause in play and floated the sliotar back into the large square, with Salmon controlling it and drilling it into the far corner.

Galway led by 1-14 to 0-4 at half time and continued to tap over points in a second half devoid of intensity or competitiveness.

Peter McCallin tried to make something happen for Antrim and went for goal, but his shot was brilliantly batted away by Galway 'keeper Jack Forde.

Galway went straight down the field and grabbed a second goal in the 55th minute from the prolific Niland to put Galway 2-19 to 0-5 ahead.

Conal Doherty-Cunning battled away with frees for Antrim but Galway were the dominant force and advanced easily to the All Ireland semi-final stage.

Scorers for Galway: E Niland 1-7 (4fs), J Coyne 0-5 (2fs), C Salmon 1-1, J Canning 0-3, C Fahy, R Malone, K Cooney, R Murphy, E Fahy, M McManus 0-1 each.

Scorers for Antrim:  C Doherty-Cunning 0-5 (4fs), K Molloy, D McShane 0-1 each, D McKernan 0-1 (f)

Galway: J Forde; S Molloy, J Fitzpatrick, R O'Neill; I O'Shea, C Fahy, P Foley; J Coyne, R Malone; J Canning, E Niland, L Forde; K Cooney, C Salmon, R Murphy.

Subs: E Fahy for Murphy (38), C Caulfield for O'Neill (51), M McManus for Forde (51), O Connolly for Cooney (54), D Mannion for Niland (56).

Antrim: P Carlin; E McQuillan, L Gillan, C Carson; S Magill, C Boyd, E Smyth; D Black, K Molloy; P McCallin, G Og Laverty, D McKernan; D McShane, C Doherty-Cunning, E O'Neill.

Subs: E Laverty for Black (HT), C Kinsella for Magill (37), C McDonnell for G Og Laverty (53), S O'Connor for McQuillan (53), S Shannon for McKernan (54).

Referee: G McGrath (Wexford).