Ulster champions Antrim lost out to visitors Galway by all of 26-points in this round All-Ireland SHC qualifier at Casement Park. Galway 6-21 Antrim 1-10 The home side made a valiant effort early on but Galway pulled clear before half time and built on that momentum in a one sided second half which saw the Glensmen run ragged. Galway started well with a run of points as they led by 0-6 to 0-1, despite Antrim landing the first point of the day. The visitors looked to have things all their own way but thanks to a Michael Magill goal and points from Donal McNaughton, Karl McKeegan and Michael Herron Antrim drew level at 1-7 to 0-10, much to the delight of their followers. However, two goals from Joe Canning on his championship debut hit Antrim hard and by the interval Ger Loughnane's men held a 2-13 to 1-7 advantage. The first came from a 20-metre free and the second just before the break gave McGarry no chance in the Antrim goal. The Tribesmen grabbed four second half goals through Damien Hayes, Alan Kerins and Kerril Wade (2) as the Antrim challenge disintegrated while Michael McCambridge was sent off midway through the half for a wild pull. Hayes' goal had the Tribesmen 3-17 to 1-8 ahead just ten minutes into that second period Antrim now face Waterford in round 2 of the qualifiers next weekend and will need to improve hugely or else their championship season will be over, while Galway's reward is a meeting with Laois. Galway - J Skehill; D Joyce (0-1), F Moore, O Canning; S Kavanagh, J Lee, D Forde; A Cullinane (0-2), F Healy (0-2); A Kerins (1-1), C Donnellan (0-3), I Tannion (0-3); D Hayes (1-2), E Cloonan (0-1), J Canning (2-6, 1-2f). Subs - N Healy for Forde, A Callanan for Tannion, K Wade (2-0) for Cloonan, C Callanan for Skehill, M Kerins for Donnellan. Antrim - R McGarry; A Graffin, J McKeague, M Kettle; C Herron, K McKeegan (0-2, 1f), J Campbell; K Stewart (0-2), M Magill (1-0); M Herron (0-2), E McCloskey, D McNaughton (0-4, 4f); P Richmond, C Donnelly, P Shiels. Subs - M McCanbridge for Kettle, PJ O'Connell for McNaughton, S McNaughton for Stewart, S McCrory for Magill. Ref - J Ryan (Tipperary) Tweet

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