Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, Round Two

Antrim 2-12 Kilkenny 2-30

In the end it was a one sided affair with eighteen points separating the sides but the Antrim fans will care to remember the second quarter of the game when Saffrons came from 0-8 to 0-1 behind to lead by 2-08 to 0-13 at half time.

Spirits were high as the teams went to the changing rooms at and for the first ten minutes of the second half they showed well, but the concession of two quick goals turned the game on its head as they appeared to knock the stuffing out of the home side.   

Kilkenny flew from the traps at the start of the game and after Stephen Donnelly hit the first score inside a minute Martin Keoghan, John Donnelly, Fionán Macakessy and Paddy Deegan all picked off points as star-struck Antrim were left chasing shadows. James McNaughton settled things a little with a pointed free but the Leinster champions stretched the lead to 0-8 to 0-01, despite playing against the stiff breeze.

Antrim couldn’t get their hands on the ball but three quick points from James McNaughton, Keelan Molloy and Conall Bohill settled them into the game and suddenly the tide began to turn.

A great pass from Conor Johnston sent James McNaughton away in the left corner and the Shamrocks speedster showed the Cats defence a clean pair of heels before firing past Eoin Murphy in the Kilkenny goal and suddenly the sides were level.

McNaughton seemed set for a second goal soon afterwards but his shot came back of the butt of the post and Murphy got it clear, but Keelan Molloy showed great skill just before the break to squeeze the ball home to complete an eight point turnaround and send the Saffrons in with a one point advantage. (2-08 to 0-13)

Three Eoin Cody points in reply to one by McNaughton early in the second half saw the visitors open a two point gap. Antrim looked set to take the lead again when Nigel Elliott made a brilliant run from midfield, but Murphy was equal to the shot as he turned it over the bar for a point which tied the scores yet again. The blow that started the Kilkenny avalanche of scores came on 52 minutes when Kilkenny Martin Keoghan disposed ad Antrim defender who was soloing up the field, Keoghan the racing through to fire past the helpless Ryan Elliott in the Antrim goal.

Suddenly from being in a very competitive position it appeared that the rug had been pulled from under the Antrim team and incredibly they went on to add a further 1-13 to a single Antrim point. The Saffrons introduced four of their Under 20 team who had run Dublin close during the week, but to be honest they never really saw the ball as the Kilkenny midfield and half-back line totally dominated possession and with man of the match Eoin Cody leading the charge the Cats pulled away to win by 18 in the end.

ANTRIM: R Elliott; S Rooney, N O’Connor, P Burke; C Boyd, J Maskey, C Bohill (0-1); E Campbell, G Walsh; K Molloy (1-1), N Elliott (0-1), S Walsh; R McCambridge, J McNaughton (1-9, 0-9f), C Johnston.

Subs: C McKeown for C Johnston (HT), S McKay for R McCambridge (52), J McLaughlin for S Walsh (55), E O’Neill for E Campbell (69), A McGarry for G Walsh (69).

KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler (0-1), H Lawlor, T Walsh (0-1); M Carey, R Reid, P Deegan; C Kenny (0-2), J Molloy (0-2); F Mackessy (0-1f), J Donnelly (0-1), B Ryan (0-1); S Donnelly (0-3), M Keoghan (1-2), E Cody (1-13, 1-9f).

Subs: H Shine (0-1) for F Mackessy (40), L Hogan for S Donnelly (64), B Drennan (0-1) for J Donnelly (67), K Doyle for M Carey (67), E Lyng for C Kenny (70).

REFEREE: S Hynes (Galway)

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Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship- Round 2

Antrim v Kilkenny

Sunday 27 April at Corrigan Park, Belfast – Throw in: 2pm

Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway)

Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to Sunday’s Leinster Championship game between Antrim and Kilkenny at Corrigan Park.

After the disappointment of last week’s trip to the sunny south-east, Antrim welcome Kilkenny to Corrigan Park on Sunday in search of their first win of the Leinster championship campaign. 

It’s always a huge occasion when the Cat’s come to town and when you throw in a championship match into the mix, Sunday will be no different.  What Antrim hope will be different is the quality of officiating from their contest against Wexford.  When we spoke with Davy Fitzgerald after the game, to say he was irate would be the understatement of the century.  Apoplectic may come closer to best describing the Saffrons Bainisteoir but Antrim’s performance against the ‘Yella Bellies’ while good for long periods, will need serious improving if they are to come close to a Kilkenny side who are on the hunt for major honours.

It’s been 10 years since Liam McCarthy visited the banks of the River Nore, the longest barren spell for the Black and Amber for almost 70 years but they are chasing their sixth Leinster Championship in a row.

Sunday will be the third year in a row Antrim will line up against Kilkenny and they won’t need reminding of those past results…. We’re going to do it anyway.  In 2023, Kilkenny had 17 points to spare while last year the final score read 5-30 to 0-13 in Nolan Park.  The Saffrons bounced back from that game to defeat Wexford in what was a quite brilliant performance – can they bounce back again after last Saturday’s defeat?  That would be a massive ask.

They will be without Niall McKenna again as he continues his recovery from injury while it may come too soon for Conor Johnston.  Seaan Elliott was taken off with a knock picked up against Wexford and Fitzgerald said himself that it wasn’t looking good for him to be ready for Sunday’s game. 

Kilkenny are forced into two changes from their win over Galway seven days ago with Tommy Walsh and Stephen Donnelly coming in for Shane Murphy and Adrian Mullen.  Both men picked up injuries during that game in Nolan Park and they continue to be without the experienced duo of TJ Reid and David Blanchfield.

The 15 that Derek Lyng has chosen still reads like a who’s who of hurling, however.  Huw Lawlor and Richie Reid form the spine of their defence with Mikey Carey and Paddy Deegan making up a strong half back line.  Eoin Cody has shook off the knock picked up against Galway to start in a full forward line that will have Martin Keoghan while Kerry native Fionan Mackessy will line out on the ’45 – a talented hurler and a man that needs no introduction to this group of Antrim players.

Against Galway, Kilkenny had 13 different scorers and out of the 3-24 hit, 3-21 came from open play.  Quite an astonishing stat with their goals coming from Adrian Mullen, Martin Keoghan and Eoin Cody as they ran out comfortable winners with 12 points to spare.

For Antrim, they had prolonged periods of being competitive against Wexford at the beginning of each half.  Soon after the restart, just two points separated the sides and Antrim looked to be gaining some momentum, indeed with 12 minutes remaining they trailed by just five points.  Some of their interplay was excellent but the home sides goals proved to be sucker-punches.  Too often, they were on the wrong side of questionable calls from the official as frustration became apparent from the side line. 

The dominance of Lee Chin and Antrim’s inability to curtail his influence will have been a concern for the Saffrons management team as they prepare to come up against a side who are another step up in class.

Antrim continued to battle however, something you would always associate with a Davy Fitzgerald side and they will have to bring those same battling qualities when Kilkenny come calling on Sunday.

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 60^th 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)

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Leinster GAA Hurling Senior Championship – Round 1

Antrim v Wexford

Venue: Chadwicks Wexford Park

Date: Saturday 19 April – Throw in: 2pm

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)

Brendan McTaggart looks ahead to Antrim’s Leinster championship opener as Antrim travel to Wexford.

Almost six weeks have passed since the end of a National Hurling league that saw Antrim maintain their Division One status for the 2026 season.  Wins against Westmeath and Laois came either side of a draw away to Carlow in a game that saw the Saffrons come back from the brink.

Since then, the Saffrons attention have been firmly set upon the Leinster Championship.  It’s a tough schedule that will see them play five matches in as many weeks with trips to Galway and Offaly preceding home games against Kilkenny and Dublin.  Before all that however, Antrim have a trip to the ‘Sunny South East’ and a match against Wexford.

Thought will immediately go back to that historical meeting 12 months ago against the Slaneysiders where Antrim recorded a first championship win against Wexford.  That match finishing 2-22 to 2-20.  This is one that certainly whet’s the appetite – an early Easter feast, if you will.

The Antrim squad have recently been on a training camp to Portugal and when we spoke with Davy Fitzgerald, he lauded his squad for their efforts not only on the training pitch but to also put something like this together: “Yeah we had four days in Portugal which was the equivalent of eight sessions or two weeks in that space of time.

“It’s hugely beneficial to not only get that training done and games but to get away from any outside noise – both good and bad.

“You’re in a different environment and a different country but it’s our space and our area.  This is already a close group of lads but being in that environment and this setting, it builds bonds or reinforces them.

“I’m immensely proud of the lads.  They’ve put in a serious amount of work to ensure the likes of that would happen.  I know they’ve done it for the last number of years, these lads seen that the County Board have been brilliant for the lads and wanted to do this themselves.”

After a league campaign that saw the Saffrons improve as the season progressed, Fitzgerald wasn’t looking to paper over any cracks.  Consistency is still the buzz word within the camp and the Clare native said they are working relentlessly to bring that to this squad: “We beat teams (in the league) that we’d have been expected to beat and drew against Carlow in a game that I thought we were the better side.  There’s an inconsistency there and by that I mean being competitive, that’s something that we’re trying to sort out.

“I’ve been working on in-house games mostly.  Working on ways to improve the areas we’ve identified that need improving.

“The lads are open to the ideas we’re bringing.  I’m a firm believer in dealing with these things head on and we’ve had discussions as a group to try and address this.  Are we there yet?  No, I don’t think so but I definitely believe we’re going in the right direction.

“We’re in a position to do things that can change that and we’re trying.  The lads are doing incredible work and working really hard.  I’ve massive respect for these lads for the efforts they are putting in to turn this around.”

Saturday is a huge game and with the bookies making Antrim as big as 10/1 and the Handicap betting sitting at -9 for Evs, wouldn’t you just love for another massive moment for this squad and team against the ‘Yella Bellies’ but as Fitzgerald said, while some may look at that as a negative, he’s looking to turn that into a positive and instill a fire within his players: “We’re odds on to be relegated in Leinster or so I’ve been told by friends who have been to the bookies.  I’ve been telling the lads that they have to go out and tare into these teams and see where we are.”

After that game in Corrigan last year, Wexford recovered to defeat Galway, Carlow and ran Kilkenny to a point in the last game, adding to their draw against Dublin on the opening day.  They finished third and advanced to the preliminary quarter finals on a better head to head against Galway and just one point ahead of Antrim.

In the 2025 league, Wexford played in Division 1A and while they were relegated to 1B, they recorded victories against Clare and Limerick.  It shows that the Slaneysiders are a side who have the capabilities to go deep in the championship though many would see them as outsiders.

They are, off course, a side that Davy Fitzgerald will know very well.  He was in charge of the county’s senior team from 2016 to 2021 in a tenure that saw him win the county’s first Leinster championship for 15 years (2019) before losing narrowly to eventual All-Ireland winners Tipperary in the semi-final that year.  Fitzy said that he has fond memories of his time in charge in the south-east: “I have a huge amount of respect for Wexford.  I had five great years there and they are a great, passionate people.  From what I’ve been told, they are hurt from getting beat by Antrim last year and looking to atone for that on Saturday, want to teach us a lesson.

“It’s important to relish a challenge like this and I’ve told the lads that.”