Antrim 0-16 Roscommon 0-14:A FREE-SCORING display from Patrick Cunningham and a great save early in the second half by goalkeeper John Finucane helped Antrim to a two-point win at Hyde Park yesterday.

Cunningham hit nine points for last year’s Ulster finalists who found scores easier to come by.

A youthful Roscommon team were too dependent on Donie Shine, who converted nine frees and was also his team’s main ball-winner after moving to midfield in the second quarter. Both teams finished with 14 men, Antrim’s Dermot McCann (24 minutes) and Roscommon’s David Casey (63 mins) both being red-carded for second bookable offences.

ANTRIM:J Finucane; D McCann, A Douglas, K O'Boyle; T Scullion, J Crozier (0-1), D O'Hagan; M McCann (0-2), B Herron; K Close (0-2), T McCann, J Loughrey (0-1); P Cunningham (0-9, five frees), M Magill (0-1), G O'Boyle. Subs: C Murray for Magill (23 mins), D Gault for G O'Boyle (70 mins).

ROSCOMMON:G Claffey; S McDermott, M Killilea, S Ormsby; P Domican, C Cregg, M O'Carroll; M Finneran, B Higgins; J Connaughton, D Casey, K Higgins (0-2); J Rogers (0-1), D Shine (0-9, all frees), G Heneghan (0-2). Subs: E Kenny for Finneran (50 mins), P Garvey for Connaughton (50), C Dineen for Domican (54), C Garvey for B Higgins (65 mins).

Refree:T Quigley (Dublin).