Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Antrim v Wexford
Date: Saturday 27 April 2024
Venue: Corrigan Park, Belfast – Throw In: 3pm
Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to the Saffrons clash with Wexford in the Leinster Championship
Antrim’s Leinster Championship journey see’s them welcome Wexford to Corrigan Park on Sunday after what is certain to have been a soul-searching week for Darren Gleeson’s men.
While Antrim tasted defeat against Kilkenny, Wexford will have come away from their opening round match against Dublin with a feeling of loss given how their match ended. Two goals in injury time at the end of the 70 minutes from Danny Sutcliffe and Cian O’Sullivan gave the Dubs a share of the spoils. With Lee Chin looking at his ridiculous best and ably assisted by Rory O’Connor with the likes of Conor McDonald coming off the bench in that game, this is sure to be another huge task for the Saffrons.
When these sides last met at Corrigan Park, it was one of the great games of the modern day that had everything. It finished in a draw with Keelan Molloy sending over an equalizing score in the depths of injury time to send the limited numbers in Corrigan Park into a frenzy and the teams with a share of the league points. It was a helter-skelter game of hurling and one you daren’t take your eyes off. Red cards, side line ‘discussions’, huge scores and brilliant turnovers. It was a game that Antrim rallied in the second half having trailed by five at half time but looked to have lost their momentum with the second half water break (thank God they’re no longer in the game).
It was a match that no one really wanted to finish but a match that no one deserved to lose. For all of Antrim’s brilliance in that second half, Wexford were equally as good in the first.
When the sides met in the Leinster Championship last year in Wexford Park, the home side took the honors with four points separating the sides (1-30 to 1-26). It was another game where Antrim started poorly and trailed by nine at half time (1-19 to 1-10) but a super second half saw them reel the yellow bellies in and the home side had to rely on late scores from Rory O’Connor and Richie Lawler at the death to fend off the Saffrons charge.
From the 15 that started that league game three years ago, Antrim will have seven changes for the weekend and three from the Kilkenny match. Gerard Walsh and Conor Boyd come into the half back line with Keelan Molloy starting on the three-quarter line the changes from the last Sunday – Michael Bradley, Scott Walsh and Phelim Duffin taking their place on the list of substitutions named.
Having looked back and had some more time to digest the Kilkenny game, the home side’s execution of their own game plan was phenomenal whereas Antrim’s fell well short of what Gleeson and his backroom team would demand of them.
Both teams set up similarly and went about their business likewise but where Kilkenny were excellent at finding the runners or man in space, too often Antrim’s delivery of ball into the final third was short or fumbled. While you have to tip your hat to Kilkenny and Derek Lyng for how they went about their business, it just wasn’t good enough from an Antrim perspective. It’s a game of risk and reward. We’ve seen them get plenty of reward in recent times and when it comes off, it’s brilliant. Last Sunday was the polar opposite.
There weren’t many who made the journey up the road again last Sunday with a plus mark beside their name. James McNaughton, Eoghan Campbell and Nigel Elliott showed glimpses of quality but the manner of the second half capitulation was hugely worrying.
While Kilkenny were relentless, too many of those in a Saffron jersey were found wanting. It was a chastening defeat and one that Gleeson will be looking for a reaction from. It’s one that we all want to see a reaction from.
Antrim Team vs Wexford: Ryan Elliott; Niall O’Connor, Ryan McGarry, Paddy Burke; Gerard Walsh, Conor Boyd, Conal Bohill; Eoghan Campbell, Seaan Elliott; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, James McNaughton; Conal Cunning, Niall McKenna, Conor McCann
Wexford team vs Dublin:
Mark Fanning; Shane Reck, Niall Murphy, Matthew O’Hanlon; Simon Donohoe, Damien Reck, Conor Foley; Conor Hearne, Liam Og McGovern; Cathal Dunbar, Kevin Foley, Rory O’Connor; Richie Lawlor, Lee Chin, Seamus Casey
Scorers: Lee Chin 1-12 (1-00 pen, 9f’s); Rory O’Connor 0-4; Mark Fanning 0-1; Conor Hearne 0-1; Cathal Dunbar 0-1; Conor McDonald 0-1; Cian Byrne 0-1
