Antrim 3-11 Wexford 1-10:Antrim bounced back from their heavy defeat against Dublin last week with a comprehensive win over a Wexford team that looked like they felt that it was just a matter of turning up.
The winners were the more compact team and finished much the stronger in a game that never had much cut and thrust and at times resembled a challenge match.
It was the first ever National League game played in Dunloy but with the host club playing in the All-Ireland semi-final against Birr next weekend they had no representatives on the young home team. New referee Brendan Sweeney of Cavan stepped up to the top grade with a fine display but the teams recorded a combined total of 28 wides as against 25 scores.
Wexford boss John Meyler will be less than happy with an attack that fired a succession of sloppy wides, some from impossible positions.
Antrim's joint managers Terence McNaughton and Dominic McKinley were delighted with the application and staying power of their players, who well and truly put that poor display against Dublin behind them.
Michael Jacob had given the visitors an early lead but they were rocked back when a mammoth free from defender Ciarán Herron was misjudged by keeper Dermot Flynn and the ball slipped though his hands and into the net. It was the only error the young Rathnure custodian made during the game; on three occasions he made super saves from Watson, Stewart and Donnelly.
With Neil McManus dominating midfield, Antrim adopted a route-one tactic, delivering high balls to their big full forward Cormac Donnelly, who unsettled a hesitant Wexford defence.
Liam Watson exploited the shaky visiting defence with his powerful runs and was instrumental in putting his team 1-2 to 0-2 in front after 13 minutes. As Wexford racked up the wides, Antrim were more accurate and when Donnelly broke another McManus missile to Karl Stewart the St Gall's corner forward's goal put the Glensmen 2-4 to 0-4 in front after 26 minutes.
The expected Wexford second half fightback failed to materialise despite a quick Eoin Quigley point, which was soon cancelled out by a super McManus strike.
With just over 20 minutes left, points by Stephen Nolan, PJ Nolan and David O'Connor had closed the gap to four points but the home team, urged on by their big support, settled the issue with a second Stewart goal after Flynn had saved brilliantly from sub Philip Maguire.
Within seconds the Antrim defence was for once caught ball-watching when Eoin Quigley, one of the few Wexford players to play up to form, sent a ground shot past Ryan McGarry, who was conceding his only goal in 140 minutes of top-flight hurling.
Antrim refused to panic and a wonder score from big Donal McNaughton sealed an unexpected and fully deserved win. McNaughton was denied a goal a minute later by a brilliant Flynn save and in the closing stages dominant Antrim had chances to increase their winning margin.
ANTRIM: R McGarry; A Graffin, N McGarry, S Delargy; C Herron (1-0 free), K McKeegan, M McCambridge; N McManus (0-1), D McNaughton (0-1); B Quinn (0-1), L Watson (0-6, four frees, one 65), P McGill (0-1), K Stewart (2-0), C Donnelly, S McCrory (0-1). Subs: P Maguire for B.Quinn (45 mins) E McCloskey for P McGill (65 mins)
WEXFORD. D Flynn; M Travers, K Rossiter, P Roche; R Kehoe, W Doran, D Lyng; M Jacob (0-2), J O'Connor; J Breen, E Quigley (1-2), S Nolan (0-4, two frees), MJ Furlong, D O'Connor (0-1), R Jacob. Subs: PJ Nolan (0-1) for J Breen (30 mins) E Martin for PJ Nolan (55 mins) D. Morton for P Roche (59) D Redmond for W Doran (57).
Referee: B Sweeney Cavan.
