A superb finish at Corrigan Park saw Antrim outlast Wexford to overhaul them and deservedly bank their first points of the Leinster SHC.
Considering last week’s nightmare in Nowlan Park, few would have seen this result coming, but the difference in this performance was night and day as Darren Gleeson’s charges responded in impressive fashion, fighting tooth and nail for everything, rolling with the punches, overcoming adversity and ultimately getting their reward.
Niall McKenna and Seaan Elliott bagged two goals in the space of three minutes to edge them ahead. They then held their nerve in stoppage time with Gerard Walsh, a colossus all afternoon on his first start of the year due to injury, converting a glorious sideline and Conal Cunning sealing it.
It was a day that few would have predicted due to Antrim’s showing last week, but one they would have felt they had in them as Wexford were again caught late having been forced to settle for a draw against Dublin last week.
The lead seen-sawed for most of the opening half as Lee Chin pointed early for Wexford and Antrim responded through James McNaughton and Gerard Walsh.
This would set the tone as the advantage changed seven times with Chin in fine form, aided by Cian Byrne and Cathal Dunbar getting on the board, while Cunning got into a groove from frees for Antrim as the Saffrons led 0-08 to 0-07 .
Then came a huge moment on 27 minutes as a Chin free came back off the post and referee Colm Lyons spotted a pull on Conor McDonald, awarding Wexford a penalty that Chin buried.
Antrim responded well to get to within one point in stoppage time, but they were hit by a second goal and there was no debate about this one as Chin plucked Mark Fanning’s long delivery from the sky, burst in and beat Ryan Elliott to help his team into a 2-09 to 0-12 lead at the break.
Wexford stretched that lead to seven early in the second period with Rory O’Connor and Liam Og McGovern complementing Chin but Antrim steadied and fought back with the next five points as brothers Sean and Nigel Elliott assisted Cunning and McNaughton.
Wexford hit back with two of their own before Antrim through they had grabbed a vital goal on 55 minutes only to see it ruled out for a square ball.
But they continued to graft and five minutes later they were right back in it as McNaughton made a superb run with challenging Wexford defenders, playing it inside to McKenna who finished to level.
Although Cian Byrne hit his fourth of the day and Conor McDonald his second straight after, Antrim were in front seven minutes from time as Aodhán O’Brien broke the ball to McNaughton who again turned provider, this time for Sean Elliott to bury.
Chin took his tally for the day to 2-11 from a free to tie it up, but Antrim wanted, deserved and got more as Gerard Walsh landed a sideline that was worthy of a winner and Cunning made sure of it.
Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Niall O’Connor, Ryan McGarry, Paddy Burke; Gerard Walsh (0-04, 1f, 1sl), Conor Boyd (0-01), Conal Bohill; Eoghan Campbell, Seaan Elliott (1-03); Nigel Elliott (0-01), Keelan Molloy (0-02), James McNaughton (0-03, 2f); Conal Cunning (0-07, 7f), Niall McKenna (1-01), Conor McCann.
Subs: A O’Brien for C McCann (31), Cormac McKeown for N Elliott (47), Michael Bradley for N McKenna (70+3)
Wexford: Mark Fanning; Shane Reck, Conor Foley, Niall Murphy; Simon Donohoe, Damien Reck, Matthew O’Hanlon; Conor Hearne, Kevin Foley; Liam Óg McGovern (0-01), Lee Chin (2-11, 0-07f, 1-00 pen), Cathal Dunbar (0-01); Cian Byrne (0-04), Conor McDonald (0-02), Rory O’Connor (0-01)
Subs: Eoin Ryan for N Murphy (53), Richie Lawlor for C Dunbar (57), Seamus Casey for C Hearne (59)
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
