Wexford 3-18
Antrim 0-17
A TEN POINT win in their All-Ireland SHC clash with Antrim probably flatters Wexford but there’s no denying the home side capitalised on the sheer volume of goal chances they created at a windswept Wexford Park on Saturday.
Antrim had opened the scoring through a Shane McNaughton free after just 80 seconds but were lucky not to be behind when ‘keeper Chris O’Connell saved a close range Paul Morris shot when a goal looked almost certain.
Morris missed another goal chance shortly afterwards but made amends when he gave the home team their first score of the game with a point just seconds later.
The home team pulled level through a Jack Guiney 65 after eight minutes before taking the lead through UCD student Guiney’s free after 10 minutes. However, three unanswered points from Antrim coupled with a missed free from Guiney gave them a two points lead.
Guiney more than made up for his miss two minutes later when he broke through the Antrim defence, allowing Podge Doran to score the game’s first goal.
Points from McGreevey and McManus restored Antrim’s lead after 19 minutes before two consecutive points from Wexford captain Gareth Sinnott put the home team back in front.
Scores from McNaughton and McManus looked set to give Antrim a half time lead but, 18 seconds into injury time, Rory Jacob powered through to score Wexford’s second goal, capitalising on indecision in the Antrim backline after Sinnott’s initial shot had hit the post.
Wexford had been expected to comfortably win the game and they opened the second half with three unanswered from Guiney, Jacob and Morris to race into a six point lead.
However, Antrim began to chip away at their lead and, midway through the second half, they reduced the deficit to three points.
Unfortunately for the visitors a brilliant goal from Paul Morris after 56 minutes killed the game as a contest, especially as they appeared unable to create any goal chances of their own.
The game fizzled out in the latter stages with Wexford making a host of changes ahead of next week’s encounter with Carlow.
Wexford scorers: J Guiney (0-8, 5f, 265); P Morris (1-2); R Jacob (1-1); P Doran (1-1); G Sinnott (0-4, 1f), E Martin (0-1, 1f), Murphy (0-1)
Antrim scorers: S McNaughton (0-5, 4f); Neil McManus (0-5, 2f); J McGreevey (0-2); K Stewart (0-2, 1f); C McGuinness (0-1); N McAuley (0-1); C Carson (0-1)
WEXFORD: Mark Fanning; Eoin Moore, Tomas Waters, Bobby Kenny; Richie Kehoe, Michael O’Regan, Ciaran Kenny; David Redmond, Lee Chin; Jack Guiney, Gareth Sinnott, Harry Kehoe; Paul Morris, Podge Doran , Rory Jacob.
SUBS: O’Shaugnessy for Doran, 48 mins; Quiqley for Remond, 59 mins; Tonks for Kehoe, 60 mins; Murphy for Kenny, 66 mins; Martin for Chin, 68 mins.
ANTRIM: Chris O’Connell; Barry McFall, Aaron Graffin, Conor McKinley; Simon McCrory, Neil McManus, Paul Shiels; Jackson McGreevey, Neal McAuley; Tony McCloskey, Conor Carson, Shane McNaughton; Christopher McGuinness, Karl Stewart, Darren Hamill.
SUBS: McFadden for McFall, 43 mins.
