Chadwick’s Wexford Park will feel like a familiar venue for Antrim as they make the trip to the Leinster venue to meet Wexford in the knock-out stages of the Tailteann Cup this Sunday.

The sides met at the same venue on the 18^th May last year in the Group stages of the same competition with a Ruairi McCann goal sending the Saffrons to a one point victory over the home side.

Today we carry a report from that game back in 2024 and later in the week we will be previewing Sunday’s game and assessing Antrim’s chances of repeating that win and advancing to the semi-final.

Saffron’s make it two from two at Chadwick’s Wexford Park

Tailteann Cup-Group 2-Round 2

May 18^th 2024

Wexford 0-17 Antrim 1-15

Antrim made it two from two in the Tailteann Cup when they travelled to Chadwick’s Wexford Park but they had to withstand a late rally from the home side who kicked the last two points of the game.

Had they lost it would have been unfair on Andy McEntee’s side who might have had two more goals prior to those injury time points from Wexford and for most of the 70 plus minutes the Saffrons had the measure of their hosts.

Once again it was Ruairi McCann of Aghagallon who proved to be a thorn in the Wexford side as his goal after 5 minutes gave Antrim a lead they would not again lose.

After that McCann got little change from Wexford full-back, Gavin Sheehan but The big Aghagallon sharp shooter’s goal provided the Saffrons with the boost to push on to lead by four at half time.

Wexford fought hard and had it back to one on three occasions in the second half but each time Andy McEntee’s men were able to find a response.

McCann’s early goal – his third in two games – and points from defenders Declan Lynch and Joseph Finnegan settled Andy McEntee’s men saw them 1-2 to 0-3 ahead by the 11th minute, a lead which Wexford were never able to overturn.

Wexford got off to the better start and settled into a 0-2 to 0-0 lead within three minutes courtesy of Darragh Lyons and Páraic Hughes.

Having beaten Wexford at the same stage last year, Antrim’s intent was clear as full-forward Ruairí McCann, fresh from his two goal salvage against Tipperary, gathered a long delivery and outwitted his marker to fire to Will Foley’s net.

Seán Nolan levelled from a free, but Antrim were solid in defence and deadly on the counter as Declan Lynch, Joseph Finnegan, Niall Burns and captain, Dermot McAleese raised white-flags for a 1-4 to 0-3 lead after 18 minutes.

Wexford lacked real spark, but they had the gap down to 1-6 to 0-7 after 30 minutes as Seán Nolan tagged on three further points (two frees) and Kevin O’Grady also weighed in after a strong run from full-back Gavin Sheehan.

The momentum was very much with Antrim at this stage and Wexford survived a real scare after a Ryan McQuillan double moved the visitor 1-8 to 0-7 ahead after 34 minutes.

Indeed, with Antrim ‘keeper Michael Byrne deep in Wexford territory, the Saffrons turned over the home kick-out only for Conor Hand to fire wide of an empty goal with Wexford keeper,  Will Foley stranded in no man’s land

Ryan McQuillan who finished with 0-6 against Wexford last year

Andy McEntee’s men had to settle for a four point advantage at the change-of-ends but might well have been further ahead.

Wexford staged a comeback at the start of the second half and had closed the gap to one as they kicked five of the first seven points of the second-half.

Seán Nolan, Mark Rossiter, Niall Hughes, O’Grady and a second from defender Darragh Lyons added increasing momentum to the home charge while a brace in response from McQuillan kept Antrim ahead.

Antrim were always able to respond however as Paddy McAleer and goalie Michael Byrne chipped in for a 1-12 to 0-12 advantage after 53 minutes – the latter with a ‘45′ after Wexford ‘keeper Will Foley denied Ruairí McCann as he threatened a second goal.

McQuillan had the gap back out to four points after 56 minutes before Wexford sub Jack Higgins, Seán Nolan (free) and Páraic Hughes gave the locals a fighting chance (1-14 to 0-15).

But Antrim twice went dangerously close to netting telling blows – the Wexford ‘keeper brilliantly denying Marc Jordan minutes before full-back Gavin Sheehan thwarted Ruairí McCann’s bid to touch home a cross from Patrick McBride.

Antrim held out nevertheless, McQuillan’s sixth of the day safeguarding the spoils despite the loss of attacker Conor Hand to a black-card in added-time.

Antrim and Sligo are now both guaranteed qualification, with their forthcoming duel set to determine who goes straight to the quarter-finals.

Scorers for Antrim: Ryan McQuillan 0-6 (3fs), Ruairí McCann 1-0, Patrick McAleer 0-3, Declan Lynch, Joseph Finnegan, Niall Burns, Declan McAleese, Cathal Hynds, Michael Byrne (‘45) 0-1 each

Scorers for Wexford: Seán Nolan 0-6 (4fs), Darragh Lyons, Páraic Hughes, Kevin O’Grady, Mark Rossiter (1f) 0-2 each, Niall Hughes, Jack Higgins, Ben Brosnan (f) 0-1 each

Antrim: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Patrick McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Conor Hand, Patrick McBride, Ruairí McCann (Creggan); Ryan McQuillan, Ruairí McCann (Aghagallon), Marc Jordan.

Subs: Dominic McEnhill for McCann (Creggan) (51), James McDonnell for Keenan (67), Colm McLarnon for McCann (70+4).

Wexford: Will Foley; Dylan Furlong, Gavin Sheehan, Liam O’Connor; Darragh Lyons, Eoin Porter, Glen Malone; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Mark Rossiter, Páraic Hughes, Conor Carty; Seán Nolan, Kevin O’Grady, Eoghan Nolan.

Subs: Jack Higgins for Carty (HT), Conor Kinsella for E. Nolan (45), Graham Staples for Lyons (60), Ben Brosnan for O’Grady (68), Jonathan Bealin for S. Nolan (69).

Referee: David Murnane (Cork).

The draw for the Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-finals took place on Sunday evening. Antrim’s reward for their win over London in Newry on Sunday is a difficult away trip to Wexford this weekend.

Preliminary Quarter-Finals

Offaly v New York

Sligo v Carlow

Wexford v Antrim

Westmeath v Laois

*The first team listed has home venue. The fixtures will take place on June 7 and 8. Details will be confirmed by the CCCC shortly.

Tailteann Cup Group Three

Antrim 1-22 London 1-14

Antrim overcame a strong challenge from London in Pairc Esler on Sunday to book a place in the knockout stages of the Tailteann Cup where they will face Wexford in Wexford Park next weekend.

They would have to wait on results from the other third round games being played today and when the news came through that Leitrim had defeated Tipperary it was the result that Antrim needed to keep their Tailteaan hopes alive.

The Saffrons started nervously against a London team that had ran them tight in last year’s competition and who obviously fancied their chances of claiming a major scalp.

It was a tight enough encounter for three quarters of the game, but a black card for London’s Matt Moynahan was a prelude to a run of 1-4 without reply as Antrim pushed on to win by eight in the end.

Antrim trailed by four at half time, but given the severity of the conditions, it didn’t seem an unsurmountable lead and that proved to be the case as the Saffrons struck two early 2 pointers in the opening minutes of the second half to draw level.

It was a day where both teams were not just seeking victory, but by as much as possible with scoring difference in play, yet with a strong wind that seemed to favour The Exiles, but swirled throughout, scoring remained difficult.

Antrim did get off the mark with Ryan McQuillan kicking points off either foot and the Glenravel man would play a big part in his sides success, but London grew into it as Daniel Clarke pointed and might have had a goal but Mick Byrne pulled off a fine blocking save to deny Ciaran Diver with the ball rebounding to Joshua Obahor to level.

Diver edged his side into the lead before Conal Gallagher slung over the first two-pointer of the game, while Byrne was again called into action to save from Ruairi Rafferty with the subsequent ‘45’ struck sweetly between the uprights by Sean Taylor.

McQuillan replied but Liam Gallagher sent over another two for London who were now five up before Antrim began to make some inroads with points from Conor Stewart and Paddy McBride.

Diver and Shay Rafter restored the Exiles 5 point advantage but after Stewart pulled one back, Antrim had an opportunity for a goal but Ryan Murray was denied from close range with the Lamh Dhearg man’s appeal for a penalty waved aside.

Instead referee Seamus Mulhare blew for half time and it was clear that Antrim had work to do as they headed to the dressing rooms trailing by four points.

The Saffrons were level within minutes of the restart with McBride and Dominic McEnhill landing two-pointers with the wind at their backs.

It remained tight with a Conor Hand 2pts briefly giving Antrim the lead for the first time before Obahor levelled it again.

The sides remained level going into the final quarter when Antrim struck for home as points from Adam Loughran and Ryan Murray were followed by an excellent sweetly struck Byrne ‘45’, which came after McEnhill’s 56th-minute penalty was saved by Andrew Walsh.

Matt Moynahan was sin-binned as the result of events leading up to the penalty and by the time he returned, Antrim had taken control to go nine clear with substitute Niall Burns finding the net despite the best efforts of Sean Taylor. Burns followed immediately with a point to announce his arrival in style and it looked well and truly sewn up at this stage.

The visitors continued to fight however and Shay Rafter fired through a crowded goalmouth from a free in added time, with management and spectators anxiously looking for the Limerick v Tipperary result, but late points from Marc Jordan and Dominic McEnhill were enough to see Antrim home and into the knockout phase.

Antrim: M Byrne (0-1, 1×45); E McCabe, E Walsh, K Keenan; J McAuley, D McAleese, M Jordan (0-1); C Hand (0-2, 1x2p), C Stewart (0-2); R Boyle, A Loughran (0-1), P McBride (0-3, 1x2p); R McQuillan (0-4), R Murray (0-1), D McEnhill (0-6, 2x2p, 2f).

Subs: N Burns (1-1) for A Loughran (52), J Morgan for J McAuley (70+1), J McDonnell for R Boyle (70+1)

London: A Walsh; D Rooney, S Taylor (0-1, 1×45), M Moynahan; E Walsh, C Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p), K Healy; T Barry, L Gallagher (0-2, 1x2p); J Obahor (0-2), D Clarke (0-1), C Diver (0-3); R Rafferty, N McElwaine, S Rafter (12, 1-1f).

Subs: Subs: C McCarrick (0-1) for N McElwaine (25), C O’Donoghue for D Clarke (58), M Carroll for R Rafferty (61), C McKelvey for C Gallagher (63), O Hilley for K Healy (68)

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)

TO VIEW MORE PICS FROM THE GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

https://myalbum.com/album/X2D9GQWESk9B9N

The Antrim team to play London in Sunday’s Tailteann Cup Third Round group fixture has been announced and is the same side who lost to Limerick last time out at Corrigan Park

Tailteann Cup

London v Antrim

Pairc Esler Newry – Sunday 1-45

The trip to Newry to face London on Sunday in the final group game in the Tailteann Cup is one that not too many in the Saffron County seem to be talking about at present with spirits a little low following heavy defeats to Westmeath and Limerick in the opening two games.

A sterling performance against All Ireland champions, Armagh back in April the 12^th at Corrigan Park suggested Andy McEntee’s Saffrons were on track for another serious Tailteann Cup challenge.

Despite losing that one eventually by 11 points the home side posted 1-23 and displayed some of the fighting spirit that had been missing during a mediocre league campaign that eventually saw them relegated to division 4.

London should provide the opportunity to get a win under their belts, but it’s not a given and even then a win might not be enough to earn them a quarter-final play-off place.

It’s been a difficult season for Antrim and since they overcame a Leitrim team who were in disarray, back in February we have struggled to put 70 minute performances together.

A narrow defeat away to Laois left them looking over their shoulder and defeats to Sligo and Kildare saw them relegated to the bottom tier.

That sterling 45 minute performance against Armagh had raised hopes going into the Tailteann Cup but they faced a difficult opener away to a Westmeath side that many felt were unfortunate to be relegated from division 2.

And so it proved to be as a Luke Loughlin inspired Westmeath ran out convincing winners against the Glens men, Loughlin posting 1-17 which matched Antrim’s total for the day.

A win over Limerick, who had defeated London in round 1, would have put Antrim right back into a potential qualification spot but again the Saffrons failed to deliver with the visitors pulling away to win comfortably despite a late Paddy McBride goal.

A win over the Exiles in Newry would salvage something from a disappointing season but a win might not be enough to secure that quarter-final play-off spot.

To achieve that they must beat London as a draw will result in their exit due to an inferior scoring difference and even with that, it may require a handsome win as only three of the third-placed teams advance with New York entering at the knockout stages.

As it stands, Antrim’s scoring difference could be their undoing as they will probably need to better what Tipperary achieve against Leitrim by six points to ensure they are not the lowest-ranked of those third-placed teams.

The sides last met at Corrigan last year with Antrim running out 3-11 to 2-10 winners and the Exiles will fancy their chances of taking a major scalp against an opponent who may be low in confidence.

At the time of writing the Antrim team for Sunday had not been announced. Will Antrim take the opportunity of giving players who have been in the panel all year but have seen little football, an opportunity?

I expect that Andy McEntee will go with his strongest available lineout and if Antrim can play to their potential over the 70 plus minutes then they are capable of posting a score that would keep their season alive.