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Antrim hurlers buy more time

Thursday, 8 July 2010

Members of the Antrim camogie squad are presented with new kit by proud sponsors, McCauley Trailers. Obviously, the strip worked a treat as the Saffrons defeated Derry to win the Ulster title at the weekend.

ANTRIM'S hurlers did all that was asked of them when they beat Carlow in Casement Park on Saturday evening. In this highly charged encounter they came with a late burst to win by three points, 2-18 to 3-12.
The twenty point defeat of Down when winning the Ulster final just a week earlier was a thing of the past and credit to manager Dinny Cahill and his back room staff for getting the players back to earth after celebrating their ninth consecutive title.
This was a great game from start to finish with the Saffrons showing the character required when in a crisis.
Apart from the opening three minutes when Karl McKeegan gave them the lead they were never again in front until the closing five minutes of the game.
They had to battle all the way after conceding two first half goals and having a Neil McManus effort disallowed which left them five points back at the interval.
Goals from a Liam Watson penalty and another from P.J. O'Connell saw them fight their way back to give Karl McKeegan the chance to level the game and go two in front in the closing minutes. Substitute Eddie McCloskey made it three almost on the stroke of time.
Senior selector Gregory O'Kane described it as 'a mighty performance.'
“This is our first win in the All Ireland qualifiers in three years," he said. "The lads showed great heart after going two goals down and then to be hit with a third early in the second half was enough to switch any side off.
“They came back in fighting style, dug deep and, despite some dreadful refereeing decisions, are still in the hunt.
“All the hard work is certainly paying off and we look forward to phase two of the qualifiers."
McKeegan's early point suggested great things but within three minutes they were stung by a Craig Doyle goal.
Again McKeegan, revelling in his corner forward slot, responded but two pointed Paudie Kehoe frees began to put daylight between the sides.
Shane McNaughton picked up Antrim's third point after twelve minutes only to see Doyle blast home his second goal and Kehoe follow with a point as the game appeared to get beyond them.
Neil McManus then had what looked like legitimate goal disallowed and with further points following from Mark Brennan, Doyle and Hugh O'Byrne at, 2-6 to 0-3, things looked desperate.
A mini revival saw McManus hit three points and Watson one to give the interval scoreline of 0-7 to 2-6 some respectability.
With two early second half points from McManus and McNaughton secured a third minute Paudie Kehoe goal could well have sunk the ship. Antrim, however, responded in kind when Watson slammed home an eigth minute penalty.
When O'Connel fired home their second goal, seven minutes later, they had pulled themselves back to one, 2-10 to 3-8, and suddenly it was all to play for.
The final quarter was riveting stuff with the sides exchanging four points each between the eighteenth and thirtieth minutes.

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