ALL-IRELAND SHC QUALIFIER PHASE THREE Antrim 1-17 Dublin 0-19:A WEEK that had shone so brightly for Dublin hurling ended on Saturday with a championship exit at the hands of Antrim and question marks over Anthony Daly's future.
A big win over Clare and a Leinster Under-21 title had raised spirits in the capital. But Dublin showed a mental brittleness in the closing stages, throwing away a six -point lead and scoring just one point in the last 23 minutes.
Antrim were full value for their win as Dinny Cahill made important changes that saw his side take control and slowly claw back to level. Karl Stewart knocked over the winning point in injury-time.
Daly has another year to run on his deal with Dublin, but the lack of progress this season may see him walk away.
“It’s a big setback,” he said. “There’s been a good bit of progress, but that is a big setback, there’s no question. I don’t know (if I’ll stay with them). I’ve another year, we said that at the start of the year, but my attitude to that would be we’ll have another look at it at the end of the year.
“If my message isn’t getting through, then you’d have to reconsider. You take a few steps forward, but then you get a belt like today and it’s a few steps back.”
Antrim led 1-3 to 0-2 after Tomás Brady and Oisín Gough misjudged a Stewart ball allowing PJ O’Connell in for the early goal.
Peadar Carton shone as Dublin fought back to go in level, with Neil McManus’s frees keeping Antrim ticking over.
Dublin dominated after the break with Alan McCrabbe contributing four frees and a 65 to an 0-8 haul to Antrim’s 0-2 as the former eased into a 0-18 to 1-9 lead.
Cahill introduced Barry McFall and Eddie McCloskey who both had big impacts as Antrim started to take control around midfield.
Slowly they ate into the lead, McManus, Liam Watson, Karl McKeegan and Seán Delargy all contributing before McNaughton levelled as the game went into injury-time.
Dublin, who had spurned two fine goal chances, with Paul and Liam Ryan going close, had a chance to win it when Declan O’Dwyer’s point attempt went wide and Antrim swept up the field and Stewart pounced on a loose ball to seal it.
“I always felt Antrim hurling was as good as any other county,” Cahill said. “You could see that there’s a brilliant bunch of players there, there’s great subs there who did very well after coming on.”
DUBLIN: G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, O Gough; S Hiney, J Boland (0-1), M O'Brien; S Lambert (0-3, two frees), S Durkin; P Kelly, L Rushe (0-1), D O'Dwyer; P Carton (0-3), D O'Callaghan (0-1), A McCrabbe (0-9, seven frees, one 65). Subs: P Ryan (0-1)for Durkin (ht), M Carton for Kelly (50 mins), D Treacy for O'Callaghan (54mins), K Flynn for O'Brien (64 mins).
ANTRIM: C O'Connell; K McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargy (0-1); P Shiels, J Campbell, C Herron; S McNaughton (0-2, one free), K Stewart (0-1); S McCrory, N McManus (0-8, all frees), T McCann; PJ O'Connell (1-1), L Watson (0-2, one free), K McKeegan (0-2). Subs: B McFall for Shiels, (46 mins); E McCloskey for McCann (53 mins); M Herron for McKeegan (69 mins).
Referee: D Kirwan(Cork).
