Leinster Senior Hurling Championship – Round 1
Antrim 0-19 Wexford 2-24
Saturday 19 April
Brendan McTaggart reports from Chadwicks Wexford Park
The scoreline only told part of a frustrating story for Antrim as they fell to an 11 point defeat in their Leinster Championship opener on Saturday afternoon. In a hugely competitive game, instead of leaving Wexford Park discussing the game, the Antrim fans found themsleves discussing the officiating of the game.
Saffrons manager Davy Fitzgerald was visibly fuming after the game and pulled no punches with his assessment.
Antrim did make a brilliant start to the game and held four point leads on two different occasions in the opening 10 minutes. Five different scorers for their first six points, a penalty blazed over the bar from Gerard Walsh can be forgiven at such an early stage in the game and while it felt like Wexford were slow in clicking into gear, Fitzgerald stated that they were given a helping hand: “We started really well and the first 15 minutes of the second half we did really well.
When the home side did get to the pace of the game, it was Lee Chin who took the game by the scruff of the neck. Like 12 months ago, Chin was imperious. 16 white flags, 12 from placed ball and to say he was a handful would be an understatement. His aerial ability, cuteness in possession and accuracy from placed ball, Chin was bordering impossible to mark. Nine points in the first half, five from frees and all in the space of a 20 minute period that saw the home side outscore Antrim 0-11 to 0-3.
Wexford were reduced to 14 men in the same period with Jack O’Connor’s game ending for an off the ball incident involving Joe Maskey. Referee Lyons issuing a straight red after consultation with his umpires.
Antrim battled well and while they were made to work incredibly hard for any scores, the four point half time deficit was far from insurmountable. Indeed, five minutes into the second half the difference was halved with James McNaughton and Walsh bringing Antrim to within touching distance.
Four points separated the sides midway through the half when the game swung dramatically in favour of the home side. The first goal came through Kevin Foley when he rose highest among a crowd to fetch the sliotar. As he landed, he spotted a gap and found himself through on Ryan Elliott’s goal. His finish was brilliant and matched his catch second earlier. As Antrim looked to come to terms with the sucker punch, they were reduced to 14 men with Conor Boyd receiving a second yellow card for a fairly innocuous challenge. Another Chin free followed before Wexford’s second goal in the 60th minute. A strong run from Cian Molloy through the heart of the Saffron defence created the space for Cian Byrne and he gave Elliott no chance with a rasping drive to the top corner. A further two Chin frees followed as Wexford made it 2-3 in just less than 10 minutes and the Saffrons numerical advantage was wiped out. An uphill task was transformed into mission impossible but the Saffrons continued to fight and battle against the home side, something Fitzgerald was pleased with: “But look, I’m proud of the lads. The first 20 minutes of the first half, unreal. For 15 minutes of the second half, we were there.
“I’m not disappointed in the display. There was patches there where we were very good.
“It’s not me I feel bad for here, it’s those lads in there.
An 11 point defeat, beaten but not broken. This was a game where little should be taken from the final score. Antrim did do plenty of things well, very well in fact and there is plenty of positives to take from this display. The frustration of the 70 plus minutes will take some work to erase from the memory as they prepare for their next match. The small matter a home game against Kilkenny in eight days time.
TEAMS
Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Stephen Rooney, Paddy Burke, Conor Boyd; Joe Maskey, Eoghan Campbell, Conall Bohill; Niall O’Connor, Gerard Walsh; Nigel Elliott, Keelan Molloy, Scott Walsh; Paul Boyle, James McNaughton, Seaan Elliott
Subs: Eoin O’Neill for N Elliott (concussion check: 32/35); Cormac McKeown for P Boyle (HT); Sean McKay for E Campbell (54); Joseph McLaughlin for S Elliott (56); Eoin O’Neill for J McNaughton (concussion check: 64/67); Eoin O’Neill for N Elliott (68); Ryan McGarry for S Rooney (70+3)
Scorers: J McNaughton 0-8 (4fs 2 ‘65s); G Walsh 0-4 (0-1 pen, 0-2 fs); K Molloy 0-3; N Elliott 0-1; S Elliott 0-1; J McLaughlin 0-1; C McKeown 0-1
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Eoin Ryan, Simon Donohue, Conchúir Ó Foghlú; Cian Molloy, Damien Reck, Charlie McGuckin; Conor Hearne, Richie Lawlor; Jack O’Connor, Rory O’Connor, Kevin Foley; Cathal Dunbar, Lee Chin, Cian Byrne
Subs: Seamus Casey for C Byrne (61); Jack Redmond for R O’Connor (66); Darragh Carley for S Donohue (66); Niall Murphy for R Lawlor (69); Darren Codd for K Foley (70+2)
Scorers: L Chin 0-16 (12fs); C Hearne 0-3; R O’Connor 0-3; C Byrne 1-00; K Foley 1-00; C Dunbar 0-1; S Casey 0-1
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW