Antrim wing-forward Patrick McBride’s shoot-on-sight policy from outside the 40-metre arc was the main feature of the first half as the Saffrons led 0-14 to 0-13 at the interval.
The St John’s man kicked three stunning two-pointers from play on his home club’s pitch and also notched another from a free for good measure as he deservedly went on to pick up the man-of-the-match award despite being on the losing side.
“I’m glad that rule came in. It’s something I was looking forward when I knew it was coming in because I know I can kick them,” McBride told BBC Sport NI afterwards.
“It gives you a chance especially against a team like Armagh, the All-Ireland champions, if one kick is worth two points, you may as well go for it. If it goes over, it’s a big reward.”
Forker, who came on as a blood sub for half-time substitute Oisin O’Neill shortly after the restart before being introduced for Andrew Murnin 15 minutes from time, admitted the All-Ireland champions “had got it very tight in the first half”.
And it could have been even worse for the Orchard men at the break with replacement keeper Blaine Hughes saving Kavan Keenan’s 20th-minute penalty in his first act of the match after Ethan Rafferty had been black carded for fouling Ruairi McCann in the small square.
“They took some exceptional scores, Paddy [McBride] and a few other boys,” said the Orchard County skipper.
“We had four or five goal chances in the first half [that we didn’t take] and they went up and hurt us. That’s the game now. If you don’t at least put the ball dead, you are going to be hurt the other end.”
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