National Hurling League – Division 1B
Antrim 0-11 Waterford 2-23
Antrim hurlers are facing a relegation battle in Division 1B of the National League following Sunday’s heavy defeat to Waterford at Corrigan Park, their third defeat in four games, which leaves them sitting second bottom with just two games left to play. With two teams being relegated their position if very precarious and means they will need to win next weekend’s game against Carlow and the final game at home to Laois to survive.
Sunday’s defeat against Waterford was emphatic against a much improved Deise side, who had been shocked in their opening game against Carlow.
With a strong wind at their backs Waterford sprung from the traps and had two points on the board within the first minute and when Kevein Mahony struck their first goal in the tenth minute it was clear Antrim had a mountain to climb.
Things got worse six minutes later when the visitors were awarded a penalty when Keelan Molloy was deemed to have fouled Stephen Bennett as he bore down on goal, and the full forward, son of Antrim coach Pat Bennett, drilled the ball home, and to make matters worse for the Saffrons Molly received a black card which saw him spend the next ten minutes in the sin-bin.
Antrim could not contain the rampant Waterford side, and struggled to get out of their own half, such was the strength of the wind, and it was all of nineteen minutes before they struck a ball over the Waterford endline from play. James McNaughton did manage a point from a free, a well struck shot into the wind, but as the gap widened by the minute the visitors went on to open a 2-14 to 0-04 lead by half time, Antrim’s other scores coming from two more McNaughton frees and one from play by Seaan Elliott.
Things looked a bit more promising when Antrim started the second half with four unanswered points, one of them an excellent effort from Eoin ‘Sammy’ O’Neill. However the Deise men were starting to adjust to playing into the breeze and once they got their bearings again they started to pile on the scores again.
To their credit the Saffron showed a bit more fight with Keelan Molloy running himself to a standstill, but the gap in class was evident throughout the field as Jimmy Barron, Dessie Hutchinson, Padraig Fitzgerald and co showed their class.
A bitterly disappointing day for the Saffrons and it is vitally important that they get something out of their trip to Carlow next week.
Scorers for Antrim: J McNaughton 0-6 (6f), K Molloy 0-2, S Elliott 0-1, E O’Neill 0-1, G Walsh 0-1 (f).
Scorers for Waterford: S Bennett 1-4 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Padraig Fitzgerald 0-4 (3f), D Hutchinson 0-4, K Mahony 1-0, J Barron 0-3, C Prunty 0-2, C Treen 0-1, M Fitzgerald 0-1, M Kiely 0-1, P Hogan 0-1, K Bennett 0-1, P Curran 0-1 (1f)
ANTRIM: R Elliott; E McFerran, R McCloskey, S Rooney; J Maskey, E Campbell, C Bohill; N Elliott, S Elliott; P Boyle, R McCambridge, K Molloy; J McLaughlin, J McNaughton, N O’Connor.
Subs: E O’Neill for S Elliott (HT), C McKeown for P Boyle (49), A McGarry for J McLaughlin (58), G Walsh for K Molloy (60), K Molloy for R McCambridge (62).
Black card: K Molloy (16-26)
WATERFORD: B Nolan; C Ryan, C Prunty, I Daly; M Kiely, M Fitzgerald, P Leavey; J Prendergast, C Sheahan; Padraig Fitzgerald, J Barron, C Treen; K Mahony, Stephen Bennett, D Hutchinson.
Subs: K Bennett for Padraig Fitzgerald (44), P Hogan for J Pendergast (44), P Curran (62) for C Treen, S Walsh for S Bennett (65), G Fives for C Prunty (67)
REFEREE: C Flynn (Westmeath)
To see more pics from this game click on the link below
https://myalbum.com/album/wfDzeJraHaNbNM/?invite=45ba962a-d4d0-4a28-99ca-1fa0dec3a127