Egan points the way for Tipperary

National Hurling League Division One B and One A/Antrim 1-7 Tipperary 1-10: Antrim tasted defeat for the first time in the current National League at Cushendall yesterday when Tipperary won a rain-drenched encounter by four points to record their first win.

Twenty-four hours of heavy rain left the pitch sodden but Tipp's greater strength and battle-hardened qualities proved useful in the conditions.

"This wasn't a day for forwards so free-taking was very important," said Tipperary manager Babs Keating.

All the scores in the first half were from placed balls as Tipperary went in at the break leading by 0-7 to 0-3.

The winners began with two early points by Conor O'Mahoney and Darragh Egan, who went on to score a total of eight frees. But Antrim were level after 14 minutes thanks to two points from Johnny McIntosh.

The sides were still deadlocked at 0-3 each 10 minutes later but Egan then added four points without reply.

Egan added three more to one in reply - the first score from play by Michael Herron -- to help Tipp lead by 0-10 to 0-4 in the 46th minute. But Antrim hit back strongly with two McIntosh points and one from Karl McKeegan to narrow the gap to three.

The crucial score arrived in the 56th minute - a strange goal for Tipperary. Referee Séamus McGrath seemed to blow for an Antrim infringement but when Declan Fanning bundled the ball to the net the Westmeath official allowed the score to stand.

Within three minutes Paddy Richmond scored an Antrim goal to leave three points between the teams but substitute Eoin Brislane added Tipperary's insurance score.

ANTRIM: DD Quinn; B McAuley, M McCambridge, G Cunningham; M Molloy, K McKeegan (0-1, free), J Campbell; C Herron, M Herron (0-1); J McIntosh (0-5, 0-4 frees), B Delargy, M Scullion; S Óg McFadden, P Richmond (1-0), B McFall. Subs: C Cunning for McFadden (30 mins), G Bell for Scullion (half-time), M Dallas for Delargy (52 mins), C Hamill for McFall (60 mins).

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Curran, P Maher, M Ryan; E Corcoran, C O'Mahoney (0-1, free), D Fitzgerald; C Morrissey, L England; J Carroll, D Fanning (1-0), B Dunne; J O'Brien, M Webster, D Egan (0-9, eight frees). Subs: D McGrath for Fitzgerald (23 mins), P Kelly for Dunne (23 mins), J Devane for Webster (half-time), E Brislane (0-1) for Kelly (59 mins), S McGrath for Devane (70 mins).

Referee: S McGrath (Westmeath).