Ulster SFC: Derry advance to semi-final

Ulster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final

Derry 2-23 Antrim 1-13

By Michael Wilson at Find Insurance Celtic Park

Derry cruised through to an Ulster Championship semi-final meeting with either Monaghan or Cavan as goals in either half from Lachlan Murray and Paul Cassidy accounted for Antrim at Find Insurance Celtic Park.

Ciaran Meenagh's men went into the game as huge favourites and underlined that billing with an emphatic display that saw a spread of nine scorers and numerous goal chances created.

Indeed, the only note of Oak Leaf concern from a one sided encounter would be the failure to convert more of the goal chances, but considering this was Derry's first Ulster win since the 2023 final, don't expect many home fans to dwell on it.

Derry named Conor Glass at centre-half forward and Eoin McEvoy at midfield but, despite the numbers on the players' back, once the action got underway the Oak Leafers reverted to form with Glass in his usual deep role.

It was Antrim, who have to go back to 1965 for their last championship victory over Derry, who hit the front first in the bright Spring sunshine. Niall Burns, who would account for every score of Antrim's opening 1-2, split the posts inside the first minute for a lead cancelled out almost immediately by the impressive Lachlan Murray.

It was a half in which Derry passed up numerous goal chances, the first of which fell to Paul Cassidy on three minutes after he was played in by Conor Doherty and Conor McCluskey only to shoot straight at Saffron keeper John McNabb who saved well.

Shane McGuigan, making his 100th appearance for Derry, put the home side in front on six minutes, but rather than inspire the home side, it was Antrim who stepped up to shock their hosts with a goal not in the Celtic Park script.

A poor Derry kick-out was gathered by big Pat Shivers before it was shifted through the hands of Adam Loughran and Conor Hand to land with Burns whose low finish found the corner to put Antrim 1-1 to 0-2 up 11 minutes in.

Within seven minutes Derry had levelled thanks to scores from Ruairi Forbes, Cassidy and McEvoy before further efforts from Niall Loughlin and Padraig McGrogan put them 0-7 to 1-02 in front. It also made it seven points from seven different scorers.

From there Derry turned the screw, but their push was aided by Antrim as a loose pass by Dominic McEnhill for Kavan Keenan was seized upon by Murray just inside the Antrim half. With Saffron keeper McNabb also up the pitch, Murray accelerated away into space to fire an emphatic low finish into the Antrim net for 1-07 to 1-02.

Murray was only denied a second goal seconds later by a brilliant McNabb save, but Derry were also indebted to Shea McGuckin for a breathtaking point blank save from Shivers at the expense of a point.

That left four between the teams but Derry underlined their superiority through two McGuigan frees, the second a two point effort following an Antrim breach, and a Niall Loughlin effort that sent them into the dressing rooms with a commanding 1-11 to 1-4 half-time lead.

Antrim responded by introducing Ryan McQuillan three minutes into the second half but it was business as usual for Derry when McGuigan grabbed his fifth and sixth of the day either side of Murray's second point to stretch the Oak lead to 1-14 to 1-5 by the 43rd minute.

Eoghan McCabe's huge two pointer suggested there was life left yet in the Antrim challenge, but that hope soon disappeared with Derry's second goal on 46 minutes.

Brendan Rogers' sent Loughlin away after catching the Derry restart. Loughlin's fierce drive was superbly saved by McNabb, but luck wasn't on the Antrim keeper's side as the ball dropped perfectly to the supporting Cassidy who fired it home for 2-14 to 1-07.

Conor Doherty grabbed his first and second scores of the day to underline the home dominance.

Niall Toner was introduced for his 107th Derry appearance. This was Derry's day, but the challenges will only increase from here.

Scorers for Derry: Lachlan Murray 1-3, Shane McGuigan 0-9 (1tp, 1tpf, 2f), Paul Cassidy 1-1, Conor Doherty 0-3, Ruairi Forbes 0-1, Eoin McEvoy 0-1, Niall Loughlin 0-2, Padraig McGrogan 0-1, Ruairi O'Mianain 0-1, Brendan Rogers 0-1.

Scorers for Antrim: Niall Burns 1-3, Pat Shivers 0-2, Ryan McQuillan 0-3 (1tp), Conor Hand 0-1, Eoghan McCabe 0-3 (1tp), Paddy McAleer 0-1 (1f)

Derry: Shea McGuckin, Diarmuid Baker, Ruairi Forbes, Conor McCluskey, Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan, Eoin McEvoy, Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty, Conor Glass, Paul Cassidy, Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray.

Subs: Patrick McGurk for D Baker, 54mins; Shea Downey for E McEvoy, 54mins; Niall Toner for N Loughlin, 57mins; Niall O'Donnell for B Rogers, 61mins; Ruairi O Mianain for R Forbes, 65mins.

Antrim: John McNabb, John Morgan, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan, Eoghan McCabe, Peter Healy, Marc Jordan, Paddy McAleer, Joseph Finnegan, Conor Hand, Adam Loughran, Ronan Boyle, Niall Burns, Pat Shivers, Dominic McEnhill.

Subs: Ryan McQuillan for A Loughran, 37mins; Tiernan McCormack for M Jordan, 53mins; Tomas McCann for D McEnhill, 54mins; Benen Kelly fgor K Keenan, 62mins; Cathal Hynds for N Burns, 67mins.

Referee: David Gough (Meath).