And that’s about the size of it for today. It’s been a great day of football with some hard-fought games in a cruel heat. Now get outside and enjoy the last of the Sunday sunshine!
And there’s the final whistle! Tyrone 2-14 Antrim 1-13
The Louth-Longford game has finished up. Louth have taken it 1-11 to 1-7.
It’s been tough on Antrim – they rallied in the second half when it looked like they could be steamrollered by Tyrone. However, Tyrone managed to soak up the pressure and come back with a few points of their own late on.
Sean Cavanagh does well under pressure and wins a free. Plays in substitute McGuigan who kicks a beautiful point. Tyrone finding their feet again.
It’s also been a tight one between Louth and Longford – Louth 1-11 Longford 1-7.
The home side have got another point from a free – they are a kick away from bringing the game to extra time!
Four points in it – and only 10 minutes left to play. Antrim have put it up to Tyrone in this second half and it’s been quite a while since Tyrone scored.
Some great defending by Antrim. Tyrone were attacking in number and Mulligan very nearly got onto the end of a hand-pass in front of the Antrim goal.
There is only four points in this game now and Antrim are cranking up the pressure!
Kevin Niblock very much involved in the build up and gets the ball back in front of the Tyrone goal. Took his time under pressure and kicked it home straight from the turf.
Goal Antrim!
Stephen O’Neill putting pressure on Douglas, not for the first time – Douglas wins out on this occassion.
Loughrey hits one for Antrim – it was almost over his shoulder towards the goal – very ambitious. It’s a poor effort. No score.
Slotted over the bar comfortably from close range – that was a real gift for Tyrone.
A string of poor passes in the middle of the park by Antrim. Give away possession cheaply and then give away a free.
Colm Cavanagh as far as Hughes who turns and kicks one – puts it wide. Should have done better.
Antrim enjoying some good possession here but looking a little bit toothless up front at times.
Antrim win a free right in front of the goal. Joe McMahon gets a yellow for his takle. Easy kick over the bar.
Kevin Niblock has been working hard in mid-field so far in this game and he gets himself a well deserved point. Cut out the middle-men in the forward line and went it alone there.
A high arm in a challenge one of the Tyrone defenders leads to a free and the first point of the half for Tyrone.
Doesn’t look to have been any changes made in the second half. And we’re underway again…
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And there’s the whistle. Two goals in the first half – Kevin Hughes and Owen Mulligan got one each. We’ll be right back.
We’re approaching half-time here. It’s been all Tyrone so far.
Free in to be taken by Paddy Cunningham – scores the point.
Free to Antrim. They need to get something on the scoreboad at this stage.
Hughes and Cavanagh running at the Antrim defence – goal-mouth scramble! It hits the upright before Finucane gets it clear.
Sensational goal from Mulligan – bullies his man off the ball, mugs a defender with a dummy and blasts it home for a goal!
Hand-passed to Dooher – where are the Antrim defence? Thinks about a pass but decides to cut inside and let one go! Over the bar.
Michael McCann gets his first after picking up a well-angled ball. Nice point at a time when it was sorely needed by this Antrim side.
Justin McMahon, the full-back, in a strange place in the park – he picks it up and he’s going all the way! Puts it over! A bit strange but they will take it.
Stephen O’Neill with a huge kick from a free at a distance. Great point.
Paddy Cunningham turns two men inside-out and lets one fly – straight over. Lovely football. His side needs a
Sean Cavanagh picks up a loose ball after a tussle in front of the Antrim goal. Could go for the goal but opts to hand-pass it over the bar.
Colm Cavanagh picks up the ball and loops a high one over the bar. Lax defending there from Antrim.
Kevin Niblock picks up a card for a heavy challenge. The first yellow of the game.
Eoin Mulligan plays in his partner in the forward line who slots it past Finucane in the Antrim goal.
Goal Tyrone!
Antrim win a free – McCann – Solidly hit and over the bar to take the teams level.
It’s been a cagey start by the two teams. Just a single point in the first seven-and-a-half minutes.
Stephen O’Neill shrugging off his man as he bursts towards goal. Lets one fly, but just wide.
Opening score in the first 20 seconds. Stephen O’Neill picks up a cross-field ball, turns his man inside-out and puts it over.
And we’re underway in Casement Park in the Ulster quarter final!
Our second featured game comes from Casement Park in Belfast. It’s going to be packed out for the Antrim v Tyrone.
Stay with us for all the action in the Ulster clash between Antrim and Tyrone! When I say ‘us’ I really mean ‘we’. Seriously, it’s lonely in here. I need the company.
And there’s the final whistle. Meath were impressive today and the ten-point margin they won by reflects their dominance. They are going to be tough to beat.
Offaly man goes down and in the mele the ref takes a tumble! What a muppet. The crowd loved that one!
Joe Sheridan with a great catch in the danger area. He uses his power to shrug of a challenge before slotting it home. Brings the margin to 10 points in favour of Meath.
Goal Meath!
Anton Sullivan, the 18-year-old, with a great kick to earn himself his first Championship point. Fair play to the lad.
Niall McNamee the target of another long Offaly ball. He’s being crowded out by the Meath backs. Not getting much change out of them.
Offaly pull one back. It’s been a while since they got a point.
Meath have an eight-point lead at this stage and they seem to be really kicking up a gear at this point in the game. Offaly need something to lift their heads.
This lad is having a laugh – Cian Ward gets another free from even further out – 60-metres out and he sends it straight over. Welcome to the Cian Ward show.
Cian Ward with a cracking kick from 50-plus metres out – he dropped it right in the sweet spot. He’s had a great game today, has to be said. Meath 0-17 Offaly 2-05.
The ref is doing nothing for the flow of this game. He’s giving frees for non-events.
Anton Sullivan has come on for Offaly – there are now three members of his clan on the park with Anton, a leaving cert student, the youngest of the trio.
Ref blows against the Offaly backs after a high-ball into the danger area. Cian Ward to kick – floats it over for his sixth point of the game.
Ken Casey to take a free after a genuine hand infringement. Not a great kick, crawls over the crossbar, but it does the job – point Offaly.
Niall Darby to take the free after another hand pass infringement, this time by Meath. The word farce will be thrown around liberally if this messing continues. He’s missed it in any case.
Cian Ward gets a point after the ref pulls up the play over a hand-pass infringement. There didn’t look to be much wrong with it but sure who can tell these days!
High challenge by Coughlan – ref calls him over and it’s RED! My word. John Coughlan on his debut elbows his man in the head. He’s out of here!
Ken Casey gets the first point of the second half – there was a bit of a debate as to whether it was a point or not, but ref orders it onto the score card.
Tuborg is horrible. Poverty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I remember the hlcyon days of the Celtic Tiger when I could afford Miller and what have you. Well gone now.
No changes to either 15 as the boys come out onto the pitch for the second half.
We’re going to be right back with all the action from the second half. I just need to run up to the off licence. They’re doing a special on 6-packs of Tuborg – recession in a can.
It’s half-time but the ref blew when Offaly were in on goal! That’s madness – Ciaran has a pop at the ref over it and picks up a yellow! The ref’s Da must be a Meath man!
McManus with a great ball into the danger area from midfield, caught and hand-passed to Ken Casey who finished at close range. And it’s game on again!
Goal Offaly!
Joe Sheridan burst forward and lets one go from close range! Just over the bar. That was a powerful run and very easily could have found its way to the roof of the net.
Superb point! Niall Darby at a shockingly tight angle hits the upright and the crossbar before the ball drops over for a point. He had inches to play with there.
Free to Offaly – referee rules that a Meath man threw the ball under pressure in his own corner.
Gary O’Brien surges forward, picks up the hand-pass and hand-passes it over to score on his debut.
Cian Ward from 45 metres out – straight down the middle. Another point for a rampant Meath.
John Coughlan has gone flying into the advertising boards after going for a high ball! He’s belted his back and is getting treatment.
Brian Conor does well to find himself in space in front of the Meath goal – shoots! Goal Offaly!
Cian Ward to Shane O’Rourke who gets off the mark with a fine kick. The Meath forward line are really getting into top gear here. They are savaging Offaly.
Super score from Meath. Stephen Bray catches the ball without breaking his stride after a long ball from the middle of the park. He leaves his man for dead before finishing well.
Crawford hand-passes to Sheridan on an overlap – puts it over. So far so good from Meath.
Offaly have failed to point from four kicks. With better finishing they could be pulling away in this game. Meath have had fewer chances but have been far more clinical.
Niall Darby with a chance to get his second of the game after a free – blows it. That’s poor finishing. Wide.
John Reynolds gets on the ball and has a go! Puts it wide. That’s his second wide of the game and we’re only 12 minutes in. Needs to buck up his ideas this fella.
Stephen Bray gifted the ball after a shocking free. The former All-Star puts it over.
Niall McNamee with a beatifully timed jump, takes the ball down, turns and blasts it over. That’s a great point for Offaly and we’re all square again.
Meath with some nice interplay before playing in with Joe Sheridan – lovely point. Meath take the lead for the first time today.
Ken Casey tries on for Offaly but it’s tame and collected by Paddy O’Rourke in the Meath goal.
No mistake – it’s all square.
The man who was fouled to kick…
Cian Ward dragged back and wins a free.
Meath have a powerful looking side out there today and they’re starting to make their pressence felt in the middle of the park. They surge forward but the ball goes wide.
He suffered a cruciate injury last season but no sign of it with that kick – curled it over to put Offaly in the lead.
Free in from the 30 metre line for Offaly – Niall Darby to kick…
And we’re off!
I know it’s splitting the rocks out side but don’t go anywhere – Meath v Offaly is moments away from throw in!
It’s a scorcher out there today – 24 degrees-plus in various parts of the country. It’s going to be the survival of the fittest.
Meath have to be hot favourites against Offaly, but Ciaran McManus reckons his side can pull off an upset: “You wouldn’t go into a game thinking you couldn’t win, no way. Certainly not in an Offaly jersey anyway,” he said. That’s fightin’ talk right there!
JOE.ie has run the rule over the sides in action today – check out our weekend football preview here.
