Dublin eventually earn narrow victory over Antrim to reach minor hurling final

Dublin 2-22

Antrim 2-11

Seven unanswered points in the final fifteen minutes helped Dublin shake off Antrim on Saturday and set up an All-Ireland MHC semi-final meeting with Tipperary.

Goals from Eoghan Conroy and Fergal Whitely helped Dublin lead by 2-11 to 1-8 at half time, having withstood some saffron pressure in Kingspan Breffni Park.

Dublin midfielder Matthew Oliver finished the game with 0-11, ten scores from placed balls and it looked ominous for Antrim when Dublin raced into a 1-4 to 0-0 lead after just seven minutes. Eoghan Conroy bagged the opening goal, flicking Carl Sammon’s long ball to the net.

Antrim hit an unanswered 1-3 in a four-minute spell to get themselves back into the game, Conor Small’s 15th minute goal the highlight.

Dublin responded well, with Whitely batting the sliothair into the net after 17 minutes.

Christy McNaughton bagged a 44th minute goal to bring Antrim to within four points, but Alex Considine and Gavin King were the among the scorers as Dublin reeled off seven points in a row to book a semi-final showdown with Tipp on August 16.

Dublin: E Skelly; C Hendricken, D Butler, C Ryan; E Foley (0-1), P Smyth, C O'Sullivan; M Oliver (0-11, 10f), F Whitely (1-2); C Sammon (0-2), M Maguire (0-3), D Gray (0-1); C Dowling, E Conroy (1-0), A Considine (0-1)

Subs: G King (0-1) for O'Sullivan (40), D Ryan for Smyth (45), J McGurk for Dowling (46), C Currie for Conroy (52), C Burke for Considine (60)

Antrim: B Connor; O McKenna, D Carey, C Carson; J Maskey, G Walsh (0-1, f), S Duffin; C McMullan, K Malloy (0-2); C Doherty-Cunning (0-1), C Small (1-0), C McNaughton (1-5, 5f); D McShane, D McLaughlin (0-1), R McKee (0-1)

Subs: C Blair for McKenna (44), J Daniels for McShane (44), A Burke for McLaughlin (51), CJ McKenna for McKee (59), D McKernan for Duffin (59)

Referee: John Keane (Galway)