Antrim are Ulster hurling champions again after beating Armagh by 6-21 to 4-14 at Owenbeg.

Edged out by Meath in the Christy Ring Cup final, the Saffrons have finished their season on something of a high, although it has to be said that winning provincial titles in nothing new to them.

The Orchard County were seeking a maiden victory and were just three points behind with eleven minutes left, 4-16 to 4-13, but - with Armagh reduced to 14 men following the dismissal of midfielder James King (scorer of his side's second goal) to a second yellow card - the winners outscored them by 2-5 to 0-1 from there to the final whistle, with James Connolly netting both goals and Christy McNaughton closing the scoring.

Full forward Eoin McGuinness notched two second-half goals for the losers, who trailed by 3-14 to 2-8 at the break. Ciaran Clarke (2-7) netted either side of the break (30,45) for the holders, who had trailed by 1-6 to 0-8 (with Declan Coulter netting and Ryan Gaffney stroking over a succession of frees) before John Dillon registered the first of their six majors in the 24th minute, which was soon followed by a Conor Carson three-pointer.

Antrim - C O'Connell; S McCrory, N McAuley, B Graham; F Donnelly, P Burke, J McKeague (0-1); E Campbell, D McKernan (0-3); E McCloskey (0-1), J Dillon (1-2), J Connolly (2-2); B McCarry (0-3), C Carson (1-1), C Clarke (2-7, 0-3f). Subs: O McFadden for S McCrory, S Delargy for B Graham, S McCrory for F Donnelly, C McNaughton (0-1f) for D McKernan.

Armagh - S Doherty; C Clifford, A McGuinness, C Devlin; J Corvan, N Curry, F Bradley (0-2); K McKernan, J King (1-0); R Gaffney (0-7f), C Carvill (0-2), D Carvill; D Coulter (1-0), E McGuinness (2-2), C Corvan (0-1). Subs: P McKearney for F Bradley, A Toal for D Carvill, O Curry for A McGuinness.

Referee - E Hasson.

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