Kehoe Cup – Round 2

Saturday December 7

Antrim 5-27 Wicklow 2-10

Brendan McTaggart reports from GAA Centre of Excellence, Abbotstown

Antrim continued their rich pre-season form with another comprehensive victory over Wicklow in the Kehoe Cup on Saturday afternoon.  A victory that, while it was expected, the standard of hurling and performance from all 21 players will have pleased Darren Gleeson and his management team.

Four goals in a first half that saw Antrim build a commanding lead, 11 of their 17 first half points coming from play and tearing apart a side who they face in the first round of the league in January.  A return to action in a Saffron shirt for Neil McManus, the Ruairi Og man helping himself to 10 points during his 45 minutes of action, two goals apiece for Conor McCann and James McNaughton.  The Loughgiel star clearly enjoys playing on the pristine surface at the Abbotstown venue, continuing on from this time last year, McNaughton was sensational before having to come off injured after an incident that saw Wicklow centre half Warren Kavanagh red carded.

A bright performance from debutant Aodhan O’Brien in midfield who dovetailed well with Eoghan Campbell while Alex Delargy came off the bench to score 1-1 in a 12 minute cameo, taking his tally to four goals in three games in an Antrim shirt this season.

Showing nine changes from their win over Armagh on Tuesday night, the first goal of the game came after just 30 seconds.  Dan McCloskey turning over possession before releasing the sliotar into the path of his Shamrock clubmate, McNaughton.  Playing a one-two with McManus, McNaughton got clear and drive the sliotar to the back of the net.

The second goal came in the sixth minute and it was McNaughton once again.  Picking the sliotar with a delightful touch, McNaughton raced towards the Wicklow goal from 50 yards out.  Three defenders on his heals, McNaughton found a yard and made no mistake.  A blistering start for the Saffrons as they dominated their opponents from the first whistle.

Antrim held a 14 point lead after 10 minutes by the time the Garden County finally registered a score, full forward Andy O’Brien holding off the challenge of Stephen Rooney but it was a brief respite from the Saffron charge for his side. 

Their third goal was the Antrim response and McNaughton turned provider this time.  Sending the sliotar into the path of McCann and the Saffrons captain sent the ball to the back of the net at the second time of asking in the 15^th minute.

McCann doubled his goals tally two minutes later with the Saffrons leading by 17 points.  Rooney delivering the sliotar high to the heart of the Wicklow defence and the Creggan man used his body to fend off the Wicklow challenge and turn his marker.  He pulled on the sliotar first time and the match was effectively over as a contest after just 17 minutes as Antrim built a 20 point lead.

Points followed as Antrim continued with their relentless pressure.  James O’Connell’s 18^th minute point meant all six of the Antrim starting forwards had recorded their name on the scoresheet.  Michael Bradley’s distribution from the middle of the park into the full forward line pivotal to the Saffrons performance.  They led by 23 points when McNaughton’s game was cut short with injury and Moorhouse saw red.  McManus pointed the resulting free and while Wicklow rallied with a flurry of frees from Andy O’Brien (two) and Jack Doyle (one), McManus (two frees) and Campbell ensured Antrim held a 23 point lead at the interval.

Wicklow had the elements in their favour but with a commanding lead and a man extra, Antrim were able to dictate the contest after the restart.  Wicklow full forward would prove to be a massive handful for the Saffrons defence during the second half, scoring the first of his two goals in the 51^st minute from a penalty. 

Antrim made changes with McCambridge, Nugent, Conor Johnston, Molloy, Delargy and Sean Duffin all introduced at different times during the second half and while the game lacked the same flow and cohesion of the first half, it never looked like Wicklow would get close to causing Antrim any serious concerns.

Wicklow did continue to push hard however and O’Brien got his second goal in the 57^th minute.  Catching a long delivery and instinctively firing the sliotar beyond Conor McAllister but Antrim responded by finding the back of the Wicklow net for the fifth time with nine minutes remaining.  Substitutes Ronan Molloy and Alex Delargy combining before the Ruairi Og man made no mistake with a smart finish.

A comfortable afternoons work for the Saffrons who set their sights back on the McGurk Cup and a meeting with Longford in seven days time.

TEAMS

Antrim: C McAllister; P Duffin, S Rooney, C Boyd; G Walsh, R McGarry, C McHugh; A O’Brien, E Campbell (0-4); J McNaughton (2-1), N McManus (0-10 8 f, 1 ’65), M Bradley (0-2); C McCann (2-2), J O’Connell (0-1), D McCloskey (0-2)

Subs: R McCambridge (0-1) for J McNaughton (28); D Nugent for M Bradley (n/t); Conor Johnston (0-2 1f) for N McManus (46); R Molly (0-1) for A O’Brien (46); A Delargy (1-1) for J O’Connell (53); S Duffin for G Walsh (53); G Walsh for D McCloskey (65)

Wicklow: C Staunton; D Quinn, M O’Brien, B Kearney; P Keane, W Kavanagh, C Moorhouse; J Doyle (0-2 1f), C Breen; L Evans, D Staunton, G Weir; G O’Brien, A O’Brien (2-8 1-00 pen, 3 f’s, 1 ’65), G Hughes

Subs: G Byrne for C Breen (20); P O’Brien for C Moorhouse (20); S Germaine for G Byrne (24 blood sub, reversed 26)