David Kearney breaks from defence to score a fantastic point during Sunday’s Allianz National Hurling League Division 1B game at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Pic by John McIlwaine
Allianz National Hurling League
Division 1b
Antrim 1-16 Galway 1-19
Pearse Stadium, Salthill
Ref: John O’Brien (Laois)
Antrim push Galway in their own backyard
By Brendan McTaggart
With less than 10 minutes remaining in Antrim’s return to Division 1b, the 3977 patrons in attendance at Pearse Stadium were starting to think the unthinkable. Antrim were leading the All-Ireland champions by three points and fully deserving. Neil McManus was superb from placed ball and Matthew Donnelly in defence was a rock in the Saffron defence. To a man, Antrim were winning their battles all over the pitch and Galway were rattled. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. I’ve never seen a manager contest a line ball decision quite like Micheál Donoghue did after 60 minutes. Antrim were supposed to come to Salthill and play second fiddle. The bookies had Galway at -22 points in the handicap betting before a ball was thrown in, 1/100 to win while Antrim were 16/1 in a two horse race.
In the end, a five-point scoring blitz in the space of three minutes eased the tension among the Tribesmen in attendance but what the 70 minutes did for Antrim will be forever remembered. The day Antrim gave the All-Ireland champions a run for their money in their own back yard and then some. It’s impossible to pick out individuals in a superb performance. It would be an injustice to those I left out. It was a performance of passion, commitment, skill and did I mention passion? Pride in the Saffron jersey. Everyone of the lads who donned the Antrim shirt can hold their heads high after a simply superb performance.
Antrim played with the wind in the first half and although Galway took an early four point advantage thanks largely to the free taking ability of Conor Cooney, Antrim kept tagging away themselves. McManus from frees and Nigel Elliott superb. Antrim held a two point lead with four minutes of the first half remaining but for Brian Concannon to score the first goal of the contest. The Galway forward had just returned onto the pitch after a blood sub less than 60 second before he collected a pass from Conor Cooney and found the bottom corner of Chrissy O’Connell’s net from the narrowest of angles.
McManus’ seventh point of the half reduced the arrears to the minimum at the short whistle, 1-9 to 0-11 in favour of the home side and it was advantage Galway with the strong wind at their backs in the second half. Antrim hurled well in the first half and were unlucky to go in behind at the interval. Defensively superb and but for a piece of brilliance from Cooney to release Concannon for the goal, Antrim gave little or no goal chances to the home side. O’Connell pulled off a superb save in the opening minutes to deny Paul Flaherty but it was the only time the Saffron defence was carved apart.
Left – Chrissy O’Connell throws himself at a point blank shot by Galway’s Paul Flaherty to deflect the ball out for a 65. Right – Conor Johnston comes back to help out his defence.
It was going to take a monumental effort from Antrim to stay with the Galway men in the second half and the Saffrons delivered in spades. The first quarter of the second half, they outplayed and out fought the All-Ireland champions in their own back yard. They retook the lead in the fifth minute of the second half through Conor McCann but it owed much to the vision of David Kearney and Nigel Elliott beforehand. Kearney retrieving the sliotar in a ruck before spotting Elliott 40 yards from goal. Elliott made a trademark run to draw in the defence and found McCann who beat James Skehill with a smart, low shot. The Galway men were shaken, and Antrim had the bit between their teeth. Conor Johnston was on a one man mission to cover every blade of grass in Pearse Stadium as he put in an immense performance.
Having started with six of last years All-Ireland winning team, Galway looked to their bench for answers and the introduction of Gearoid McInerney, Cathal Mannion and John Hanbury introduced. Antrim had managed to restrict Galway to just two points in the opening 21 minutes of the second half while adding scores from McManus (two), Johnston and Elliott giving the Saffrons a three point lead going into the final ten minutes.
Galway finished strong however and a run of five unanswered points from Hanbury, Éanna Burke, Davey Glennon, Conor Cooney and Joseph Cooney in the space of three minutes gave them the momentum. The crowd in Pearse Stadium began to find their voice as Galway took control. Antrim were looking like a team that had been in the mother of all battles in the dying minutes but still went in search of the scores to get back into the game. They wouldn’t lay down, they refused to accept defeat and kept going for the 70 plus minutes.
It wasn’t to be though as Galway held on. Galway. Held on. Words I didn’t think I would be writing. A three point defeat for the Saffrons on their return to Division 1b but what a performance. Everyone involved can put a case forward for being man of the match with David Kearney, Nigel Elliiott and Conor Johnston excelling. Mattie Donnelly in the second half produced some outstanding clearances as Galway piled the pressure on the Antrim defence but if I’m pushed, I edge towards Neil McManus. He led the fight to the Galway men in the first half as Antrim clung to their coat tails in the opening quarter while his work in open play was tireless. 10 points over 70 minutes and missing just one free in tough conditions, McManus was superb for the Saffrons. Next up, Dublin in Dunloy next Sunday.
Left – Top scorer Neill McManus was a constant threat to the Galway defence Right – Conor McCann, who scored Antrim’s goal during the second half, battles to get away from the Galway defence. Pics by John McIlwaine
TEAMS
Antrim: Chris O’Connell; David Kearney (0-1); John Dillon; Arron Graffin; Joe Maskey; Matthew Donnelly; Paddy Burke; Conor McKinley; Gerard Walsh (0-1); Maoi Connolly; Neil McManus (0-10, 7f’s 1’45); Nigel Elliott (0-3); Donal McKinley; Conor McCann (1-00); Conor Johnston (0-1)
Subs: James Connolly for M Connolly (28 mins); James McNaughton for N Elliott (65 mins); Eoin O’Neill for C McKinley (67 mins)
Galway: James Skehill; Matthew Donoghue; Daithi Burke; Jack Grealish; Adrian Tuohy; Martin Dolphin (0-1); Aidan Harte; Johnny Coen; Eanna Burke (0-3); Niall Burke (0-1); Joseph Cooney (0-3); Paul Flaherty (0-1); Brian Concannon (1-1); Conor Cooney (0-6, 4f’s 1 ’65); Jason Flynn
Subs: for Sean Loftus for A Harte (HT); Gearoid McInerney for J Grealish (42 mins); Cathal Mannion (0-1) for P Flaherty (48 mins); John Hanbury (0-1) for M Donoghue (52 mins); Davey Glennon (0-1) for J Flynn (60 mins)