11-05-2025
Fermanagh and Antrim lose Tailteann Cup openers
Fermanagh and Antrim fell to defeats in their opening Tailteann Cup round-robin matches on Sunday.
The Ernemen were beaten 3-18 to 2-18 by Carlow in their Group Four contest at Brewster Park, while in Group Three Antrim were thrashed 4-24 to 1-17 by 2022 winners Westmeath in Mullingar.
Antrim, who exited the Ulster Championship quarter-finals at the hands of Armagh last month, conceded two quickfire first-half goals at Cusack Park with Sam McCartan and Danny McCartan both on target for the home side.
While Kavan Keenan raised a green flag for the Saffrons, Luke Loughlin's penalty helped Westmeath lead 3-9 to 1-10 at the break.
Matthew Whittaker scored Westmeath's fourth goal while Loughlin ended the game with a remarkable 1-17 haul.
Like Antrim, Fermanagh were also left with work to do after conceding two early goals in quick succession in Enniskillen as Mikey Bambrick and John Murphy struck for Carlow inside the opening 11 minutes.
Fermanagh - playing for the first time since their agonising Ulster quarter-final loss to Down - responded through a Conor Love penalty, but trailed 2-9 to 1-7 at the interval.
Joe McDade's goal early in the second half gave Fermanagh renewed purpose but Bambrick's second major of the afternoon inside the final 10 minutes proved a hammer blow to the Ulster side's hopes.
While Fermanagh reeled off an unanswered 0-4 (including Sean McNally's two-pointed free) to cut the deficit to two, Conor Doyle's two-pointer put the result beyond doubt.
Fermanagh travel to Longford for their second group game on 18 May while Antrim host Limerick on Saturday.
