Antrim produce big finish to survive

ALL-IRELAND SHC QUALIFIERS PHASE ONE: Antrim 2-18 Carlow 3-12 A STORMING finish by Antrim denied Carlow a famous win at Casement Park on Saturday. Three points in the last three minutes pulled the winners through after an engaging struggle.

Karl McKeegan rifled over an Antrim point in 18 seconds, but Carlow took control with a storming display. The gifted Craig Doyle fired in a goal at the second attempt on four minutes and it was 1-2 to 0-3 after 13 minutes when deadly Doyle struck again with another shock goal and Paudie Kehoe added to Carlow’s tally with a pointed free.

Antrim failed to score from the 12th until the 26th minute as the visitors added three more points from Mark Brennan, Doyle and HP Byrne. But Antrim hit back with four points to cut the interval deficit to 2-6 to 0-7.

The visitors struck again with a Kehoe goal after 39 minutes but Liam Watson blasted home a penalty to leave it 3-6 to 1-9 on 43 minutes. PJ O’Connell fired a loose ball to the net for their second home goal after 50 minutes.

Shane McNaughton and McManus added frees to make it all square six minutes later at 3-9 to 2-12. With two minutes left the sides were still level but points from Karl Stewart, McKeegan and Eddie McCloskey sealed the win.

ANTRIM: C O'Connell; Kieran McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargy; P Shiels, J Campbell, C Herron; S McNaughton (0-3, one free), K Stewart (0-3); C McFall, N McManus (0-5, two 65, one free), T McCann; PJ O'Connell (1-0), L Watson (1-1, pen 1-0), K McKeegan (0-4). Subs: S McCrory (0-1) for C McFall (30 mins), B McFall for McCann (48), E McCloskey (0-1) for PJ O'Connell (66).

CARLOW: F Foley; A Corcoran, S Kavanagh, D Shaw; E Coady, E Nolan, R Coady (0-1, one free); J Hickey, D Byrne; C Doyle (2-3), M Brennan (0-1), HP O'Brien (0-1); A Gaule, D Murphy, P Kehoe (1-6, four frees, two 65). Subs: J Rogers for Hickey (30 mins), R Foley for Murphy (ht), E Byrne for E Coady (40), A McDonald for D Byrne (46).

Referee: A Stapleton (Laois).