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McCann point snatches late win

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Antrim’s Justin Crozier gets away from Sligo’s Jonathan Martyn during Saturday night’s Division 3 league game at Casement Park, Belfast.

Antrim.......0-12
Sligo...........0-11
ANTRIM football manager Liam Bradley stated the obvious earlier in the week when asked about Antrim's chances of gaining promotion from Division 3 of the National league.
“We must win all our home matches, including our opener against Sligo, if we are to have any chance," he said.
At Casement Park on Saturday evening they secured their first home one but not in a straight forward fashion.
It was left to Cargin's Tomas McCann to grab both points after a draw looked an absolute certainty.
It came late, but the Erins Own free taker was up to the mark when he converted a long range effort, four minutes into injury time for a one point win.
Antrim dominated the early exchanges and settled into a 0-3 to 0- 1 lead before the visitors drew level. Brian Neeson got them away after six minutes but, a low key first half seemed to be heading for a 0-5 to 0- 5 score line until, in a foretaste of the second half drama, Tomas McCann sweetly struck a "45" to put Antrim in front 0-6 to 0-5.
The home side should have been much further ahead at the break but the old tale of poor finishing was still very much in play.
They knocked up eight wides in the opening half with Sligo much more economical, on just three.
The Yeats County looked the stronger of the two after the restart and second half sub Con McGee helped give them a three point advantage and they looked like they would expand on it.
The third quarter was the Saffrons' least productive and after Sligo's three point barrage they were on their heels but refused to go down. Back they came, scoring three unanswered points to go into a two point lead. Paddy Cunningham, who is now well settled into his role in the half forward line, scored a free, to get the Antrim second half challenge underway.
Conor Finch's first touch of the ball produced a point from a very narrow angle, and that proved one of a run of three scores which brought the sides level. The first of the three came from Kevin Brady who caught expertly before almost claiming a goal with a chip over the Sligo keeper. The equalising score from Brian Neeson was the best of all, swung over from away out on the right hand side.
Sligo went ahead again 0-11 to 0-10 and the Saffrons equalised as and the game drifted towards injury time.

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