Brian McFall produced a tremendous display for Antrim

Antrim 3-21 1-12 Derry

Antrim produced an efficient performance to outclass Derry in Saturday evening's Guinness Ulster Hurling Final at Casement Park.

Two Brian McFall goals in three minutes shortly before half-time killed off Derry's challenge.

The goals put the Saffrons eight points clear and Derry never threatened a fightback thereafter.

McFall will deservedly get many of the headlines after notching an impressive haul of 2-9.

However, midfielder Jim Connolly was arguably even more influential while Saffron wing-backs Michael McCambridge and Ciaran Herron also produced outstanding displays.

Derry, actually, made a decent start and led 0-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes.

But Paddy Richmond levelled the contest at 0-4 to 0-4 after 14 minutes and the Saffrons were not headed again during the match.

The warning signs were there for Derry in the 18th minute when excellent goalkeeper Kieran Stevenson had to make a brilliant save to divert a Liam Watson shot onto the woodwork.

Dinny Cahill successfully rallied his men

By the 23rd minute Antrim were ahead 0-8 to 0-4 only for Derry to hit the next three scores to cut the Saffron lead to the minimum.

The best example of Connolly's brilliance was his glorious catch and point in the 28th minute.

Within 60 seconds McFall had rammed in Antrim's first goal and a carbon copy two minutes later saw the Saffrons now eight points up.

Late in the first half, Derry introduced Benny Ward for Paul McVeigh in an attempt to curtail McFall but the damage had already been done.

Derry held their own in the third quarter without chipping into the Saffron advantage.

Their last chance of mounting a comeback came and went when John O'Dwyer kicked a goal chance wide in the 43rd minute.

The closing quarter was largely a procession of Antrim scores with the Derry players visibly losing heart.

Gary Biggs was an exception and his 66th minute goal, after he had been moved into full-forward, was all Derry could summon up in defiance.

Even after that, Antrim re-asserted their dominance with Aidan Delargy following up to hammer home a third Saffron goal after his initial effort had been blocked by the brave Stevenson.

Antrim will face a completely different challenge in the All-Ireland series but they performed this task with an admirable degree of efficiency.

Antrim: DD Quinn; M Kettle, K Kelly, J Campbell; M McCambridge, K McKeegan, C Herron; C Cunning, J Connolly (0-1); Paddy Richmond (0-3), C McGuckian (0-1), Liam Richmond (0-2); L Watson (0-4), G O'Kane, B McFall (2-9). Subs: A Delargy (1-1).

Derry: K Stevenson; P McVeigh, E McKeever, C McEldowney; D Magill, M Conway, P O'Kane (0-1); R Convery (0-1), P Carton; Gregory Biggs (1-2), O Collins capt (0-6), R Kennedy (0-1); J O'Dwyer, M Collins (0-1), D McGrellis. Subs: B Ward.

Antrim led 2-7 to 0-3 at the interval with Stephen McGarry and Joey Scullion notching their goals.