Derry saw off Antrim’s challenge by 2-23 to 1-13 at Celtic Park this evening to progress towards the semi-finals of the Ulster senior football championship.

Billed as 1/40 favourites coming into this clash, Ciaran Meenagh’s side kept things to script in this one after having conceded an early goal against their neighbours.

Niall Burns finished to the Oak Leafers’ net to put Antrim into a 1-1 to 0-2 lead after 10 minutes, but the points of Ruairi Forbes and Paul Cassidy would have hosts level within three minutes and they’d push two in front prior to Lachlan Murray hammering in their first goal in the 21st minute.

Shane McGuigan landed a two-pointer from a free after that and another white flag from Loughlin left it at 1-11 to 1-4 when the sides went in at the break.

McGuigan (2) stretched the Derry lead early in the second-half and while the Glensmen would respond with a Eoghan McCabe two-pointer, the ball would be in the back of their net again in the 46th minute via Cassidy.

Conor Doherty’s point after that made it 2-15 to 1-7 and Meenagh’s men closed it out from there, with McGuigan finishing with a personal tally of 0-9, as they now get set to face either Monaghan or Cavan on May 2nd for a place in the Ulster SFC final.

Derry seal their place in the Ulster SFC Semi FInals in a fornight's time after a convincing win over Antrim 🏐 @Doiregaa🟥⬜️ 2-23@AontroimGAA🟨⬜️ 1-13

They'll play the winners of tomorrow's Quarter Final in Clones, Monaghan v Cavan#Ulster2026 pic.twitter.com/3agVU2zwg6

— Ulster GAA (@UlsterGAA) April 18, 2026

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