Superb Antrim comeback denies Wicklow

Antrim 1-17 Wicklow 3-11

Electric Ireland Tier 3 Minor Football Championship Final
Venue: Grattan GAC, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan
Saturday, 30th May

Antrim staged an unbelievable second-half comeback to defeat Wicklow by a single point and claim the Electric Ireland Tier 3 Minor Football Championship title in an absolute thriller at Inniskeen. Trailing by 11 points early in the second period, the Saffrons produced a storming finish, capped off by an injury-time winner from Joey Griffin, to break Wicklow hearts in a dramatic 1-18 to 3-11 victory.

The opening exchanges saw Antrim draw first blood when Conor McArt slotted over a fine point in the 8th minute. However, Wicklow responded instantly, unleashing a devastating offensive onslaught. Joe Keeshan levelled proceedings in the 9th minute before Wicklow captain Harry Butler struck the game’s opening goal just a minute later, looping a dipped effort over the Saffron goalkeeper.

Oscar Nolan quickly added another point, and when Sam Goodbody struck a magnificent two-pointer in the 12th minute, Wicklow were firmly in the driving seat. Antrim attempted to stem the tide with points from Dara Campbell (19 mins) and a Tom Convery free (20 mins), quickly followed by a neat score from Colm Kane to momentarily narrow the deficit.

Wicklow’s relentless pressure could not be contained. Joe Keeshan turned tormentor-in-chief, firing over a point in the 22nd minute before raising another white flag with a clever fisted effort sixty seconds later. In the 25th minute, Sam Goodbody dealt Antrim a massive blow, reactively fisting a dropping ball into the back of the net for Wicklow’s second goal. Despite a late Tom Convery free for the Saffrons, another fisted point from the clinical Keeshan in injury time ensured Wicklow led comfortably by 2-9 to 0-5 at the interval.

Any hopes of an immediate Antrim revival seemed dead in the water within seconds of the restart. Antrim attacked from the throw in and a good move saw Tom Convery in the clear in a one on one with Jack Peter Nolan but the Wicklow keeper advanced to make a good blocking save. To make matters worse Wicklow counter from the kick out and skipper Harry Butler swung over a fine point to stretch the lead to a seemingly insurmountable 11 points.

However, the Saffrons refused to surrender. Ten minutes into the second half, Rasharkin’s Shea McFerran ignited the comeback spark by converting a crucial two-pointer. Moments later, McFerran was at the heart of the action again; his powerful shot shattered back off the upright, only to be inadvertently diverted into the net by a tracking Wicklow defender.

With the gap suddenly closing, Dara Campbell and Sionan McCormack raised successive white flags to trim the deficit to just three points. Just as Antrim looked to have all the momentum, they were rocked to the core. A swift Wicklow counter-attack cut through the Saffron defence, allowing Enda Lacey to palm home their third goal of the afternoon and restore a six-point cushion.

Undeterred by the setback, Antrim threw caution to the wind. Driven forward by captain Shea McLernon, they pressed Wicklow relentlessly up the pitch. The superb Sionan McCormack, alongside Conall Wilson and the talismanic McFerran, hit a string of unanswered points to cut the deficit right back down to three by the 24th minute of the half.

The grandstand finish belonged entirely to Antrim. As the clock ticked towards the red, Dara Campbell stepped up to strike a magnificent two-pointer, following it up almost immediately with a sensational equalising point to level the scores.

With the game on a knife-edge and edging into time added on, it was Joey Griffin who wrote his name into Antrim GAA folklore. Gathering possession under intense pressure, Griffin coolly slotted over the winning point to seal an unforgettable, historic championship victory for the Saffrons.

Griffin was ultimately named Man of the Match for his late heroics, though selectors were spoiled for choice with his Moneyglass clubmate Sionan McCormack, captain Shea McLernon, Dara Campbell, Colm Kane, and Shea McFerran all putting in monumental displays to secure the silverware.

ANTRIM – 1 Niall Quinn St Ergnats Moneyglass, 2 Cillian McKenna Roger Casements Portglenone, 3 Shea McLernon Kickhams Creggan, 4 Bradan O’Donnell St Ergnats Moneyglass, 5 Thomas Douthart Roger Casements Portglenone, 6 Conor McArt St James Aldergrove, 7 Sionan McCormack St Ergnats Moneyglass, 8 Dara Campbell Roger Casements Portglenone, 9 Tom Convery Roger Casements Portglenone, 10 Conall Wilson Kickhams Creggan, 11 Joey Griffin St Ergnats Moneyglass, 12 Sean McPeake Erin’s Own Cargin, 13 Colm Kane St Endas, 14 Shea McFerran St Marys Rasharkin, 15 Tiernan Lee Lamh Dhearg. SUBS – 17. Daire Thornbury (Naomh Pól) 18. Seán McMullan (Con Magee’s Glenravel) 19. Ruairí O’Connell Scullion (Naomh Éanna) 20. Nathan Burns (Naomh Éanna) 21. Cillian McDonnell (Roger Casements Portglenone) 22. Eoin Nelson (St Joseph’s Glenavy)

WICKLOW – 1 Jack Peter Nolan Kiltegan, 2 Chris Kehoe Dunlavin, 3 Sean O’Brien St Patricks, 4 Enda Leacy An Tochar, 5 Oscar Kelly Kilcoole, 6 Conor Fitzgerald Blessington, 7 Sean Byrne Kiltegan, 8 Oscar Nolan An Tochar, 9 Joe Keeshan An Tochar, 10 Josh Furlong Kiltegan, 11 Odhran Cullen AGB, 12 Lucas Reid Avoca, 13 Harry Butler (C) Rathnew, 14 Sean Corrigan Hollywood, 15 Sam Goodbody St Patricks.

Antrim Scorers: Shea McFerran (1-3, inc 2-pt), Dara Campbell (0-6, inc one 2-pt), Tom Convery (0-2, 2f), Conor McArt (0-1), Colm Kane (0-2), Sionan McCormack, Conall Wilson 0-1, Joey Griffin (0-2).

Wicklow Scorers: Sam Goodbody (1-2, inc one 2-pt), Harry Butler (1-1), Joe Keeshan (0-4, 2 fisted), Enda Lacey (1-0), Oscar Nolan (0-2). Josh Furlong 0-1, Sean Byrne