All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter-Final

Antrim 2-19 Cork 3-27

Saturday June 11

Brendan McTaggart reports from Corrigan Park, Belfast

There are times in life you have to pinch yourself to make sure you’re in reality.  We’ve all been there and had that feeling.  For those who were lucky enough to have been in attendance at Corrigan Park on Saturday afternoon, it was another of those occasions.  The Whiterock Road venue, packed to the rafters. Antrim going toe to toe with the hurling aristocrats from the Rebel County and the crowd roaring them to reach heights we dream of seeing them playing.

The result wasn’t forthcoming.  11 points the difference on the scoreboard but there wasn’t 11 points between the sides as Darren Gleeson’s men upped their performance levels from the McDonagh Cup Final just seven days previous.

Cork started like a house on fire, two goals on the scoreboard with patrons still finding a vantage point.  But this is Antrim 2.0.  They care not for reputations nor do they lay down.  In a first half that ebbed and flowed, Keelan Molloy and James McNaughton ran the Cork men a merry dance.  Both finding the net and both in scintillating form.  Scoring 2-12 between them, majority in the first half and the Rebel’s had to keep a tighter eye on the pair in the second half.

The atmosphere was electric and the Antrim players responded.  Some handling errors were evident but they let the Rebels know they were in for a game.  Points celebrated like it was a last minute winner, tackles greeted by the crowd like they were in the Colloseum in ancient Rome.  Wishes if not prayers were being answered for 35 minutes.  A one point lead, it could have been more.  It should have been more.  The Saffrons ran off the Corrigan Park pitch with their chests out, heads held high and a spring in their step.  This is what we have wanted for so long, big time hurling in our back yard.

Darren Gleeson is famed within the county for not looking for silver linings.  You’re either first or you’re last with the Tipperary native and while he bemoaned the first half accuracy from his side, he told us: “It’s hard straight away but my first thoughts are on that first half.  We left a lot of chances behind there and we handed 2-6 to them.  My take on it, in that first half without looking back over it, 2-6 of their 2-10 was from our handling errors.  Your handling has to be so right at the top level but I’m so proud of the players there today.  I’m not here for morale victories, I’ve said that before and everyone knows that but I’m extremely proud on how they applied themselves seven days after a national final.  They are a credit to the county.

“Definitely should have been more ahead.  We had ten or 11 wides in the first half and you know, if you get five of them you’re going in six up and the pressures on a team with the wind at their back.  We’ve seen we’ve played some of our best hurling this year into the wind.  We seem to get more ball into our full forward line but just the way Cork set up today, we were devoid of getting ball in there and that’s usually where we make hay.  It just didn’t happen today.”

The concession of two early goals would have seen Antrim teams of days gone past capitulating.  That didn’t happen in a windswept Corrigan.  Gleeson alluded that it’s down to the mindset of this current squad: “They are process driven I suppose.  They stick with it for the 70 or whatever minutes there’s going to be in the game.  They’re detached from the scoreboard and stay going until the final whistle.”

The Rebels had whatever wind advantage there was going in the second half and with Seamus Harnedy, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Conor Lehane in top form, they made the scoreboat tick.  The brand of hurling Kieron Kingston has this Cork side playing when they get it right is an easy watch.  Slick, precise, vision and accuracy.  There was times you just had to applaud some of the passes from the likes of Ciaran Joyce and Mark Coleman while Luke Meade excelled in the second half.

Antrim fought tooth and nail to stay with their illustrious opponents, Neil McManus a major thorn in the side for the Cork defence.  Winning primary and secondary possession was like gold dust for the Saffrons.  Cork were masters at the breakdown and seemed to have every break of the ball.  Antrim needed a little lady luck but at times she wore the red of Cork instead of Saffron.

The visitors finished on top down the home straight, accumulating scores and giving the score line a somewhat unfair reflection.  Topped off by a Harnedy goal in what proved to be the last action of the game.

The final whistle blew and despite defeat there was an overwhelming wave of emotions.  Proud, disappointed, pride in the Saffron shirt and a thought of that line we’ll hear in the Sunday Game on Sunday evening: “Ah sure they did well and it’s great to see the work they’re doing up there.”  You know it’s coming.

In the last 10, Antrim died with their boots on.  Threw everything they had at Cork but the schedule hasn’t been kind to them.  Gleeson wasn’t making any excuses though: “I wouldn’t mind an extra week now.  At the time I thought we had good momentum coming into it and the buzz was there.  When you lift a cup there’s a great buzz around for a week and you’re trying to feed on that.  Hindsight, you’ll always take another week when you’re beaten, wouldn’t you.”

Joe Maskey signs autographs for some young fans after the game

As hundreds flocked onto the Corrigan Park pitch at the full time whistle, young fans going to their heroes in a Saffron shirt, Cork showed themselves to be the class act they are also.  Their kit man giving away free shirts, stars stopping for ‘selfies’ and autographs.  Big time hurling was back in Belfast and the those who were there will remember this day.

Watching the players leave the pitch, there wasn’t many from Gleeson’s squad with smiles on their faces. They showed they can mix it with the best in the game but they want more.  A sign of progress: “I love the progress but we’re all here to try and win” said Gleeson, “There’s an air of disappointment.  That might sound mad to some people outside of this group.

“They should expect from themselves, they’re as good as anyone on their day.  There’s a huge body of work that’s gone in over the last few years and obviously there’s more required to happen.”

More required, but you feel like there’s still more to come from this side.  Another season in Division One league and a run at the Leinster Championship group stage lays ahead in 2023.  Antrim hurling is in a good place right now, 2022 has been a hell of a ride.  Up’s and down’s full of memories.  This is the GAA.  This is hurling.  This is Antrim.

ANTRIM: Ryan Elliott; David Kearney, Gerard Walsh, Niall O’Connor; Joe Maskey, Eoghan Campbell, Paddy Burke; Michael Bradley, Keelan Molloy; James McNaughton, Ciaran Clarke, Neil McManus; Conal Cunning, Domhnall Nugent, Seaan Elliott.

Subs: Conor McCann for D Nugent (49), Conal Bohill for M Bradley (55), Conor Johnston for S Elliott (55), Niall McKenna for C Cunning (63), Daniel McKernan for J Maskey (68).

Scorers for Antrim: James McNaughton 1-9 (0-6f), Keelan Molloy 1-3, Conal Cunning 0-2 (both frees), Seaan Elliott 0-1, David Kearney 0-1, Paddy Burke 0-1, Neil McManus 0-1 (sideline), Conor Johnston 0-1.

CORK: Patrick Collins; Damien Cahalane, Robert Downey, Sean O’Donoghue; Niall O’Leary, Ciarán Joyce, Mark Coleman; Darragh Fitzgibbon, Luke Meade; Robbie O’Flynn, Séamus Harnedy, Shane Kingston; Tim O’Mahony, Alan Connolly, Conor Lehane.

Subs: Conor Cahalane for S Kingston (29), Ger Millerick for R Downey (51), Tommy O’Connell for L Meade (58), Patrick Horgan for T O’Mahony (61), Jack O’Connor for A Connolly (68).

Scorers for Cork: Conor Lehane 1-9 (1-0 penalty, 0-2 frees, 0-1 65), Darragh Fitzgibbon 1-4, Seamus Harnedy 1-3, Robbie O’Flynn 0-6, Alan Connolly 0-2, Patrick Horgan 0-2, Mark Coleman (0-1 free), Conor Cahalane 0-1.

REFEREE: Liam Gordon (Galway).