Leinster GAA Hurling Championship Quarter-Final
Wexford Park, 29th May 2011
Wexford 2-16 Antrim 1-11
Wexford are through to a Leinster GAA Hurling Championship semi-final with Kilkenny after they overcame Antrim in Wexford Park.
Antrim managed to score a total of just three points in the entire second half, showing how they were outclassed by the Model County’s defence.
Goals from Jim Berry, Éanna Martin and David Redmond proved to be too much the Saffrons and gave Wexford a cushion they fully deserved.
It did not look like that in the early stages of the game, however, when Antrim took the lead. Conor McCann was on hand early on for Dinny Cahill’s men to score a goal even though his side was playing against a strong breeze in the first half.
It looked like another shock would be on the cards from Cahill’s players, following their fine win over Laois in the previous round. His side were clearly keeping in touch and this could be seen by the crowd at Wexford Park until the home side’s first goal of the afternoon.
A stand-out performance from Wexford’s Jim Berry was shown by his early goal that managed to cancel out McCann’s effort and give his side a platform to work off.
The first half was fairly even and the score line made that evident. There were just two points that separated the teams with a half-time score of 1-10 to 1-8.
Not much changed when the game restarted until Wexford’s forwards started to show their class.
Stephen Banville and Harry Kehoe racked up some nice scores and started to put some real daylight between the sides.
The turning point in the match came 15 minutes after the restart. Wexford full-forward Martin rattled home his side’s second goal of the game and all but killed Antrim’s chances of pulling off a surprise victory.
The final nail in the coffin from Colm Bonnar’s side came in the form of midfielder David Redmond when he scored a goal with just three minutes left on the clock, all but confirming Brian Cody and his men will have to travel to Wexford Park in the last four.
Wexford: Niall Breen; Paul Roche, Matthew O’Hanlon, Keith Rossiter; Lar Prendergast, Ciarán Kenny , Michael Jacob, Willie Doran, David Redmond; PJ Nolan, Harry Kehoe, Stephen Banville; Rory Jacob, Éanna Martin, Jin Berry.
Antrim: Chris O’Connell; Chris McGuinness, Cormac Donnelly, Kevom Molloy; Aaron Graffin, Michael Herron, Ciarán Herron; Paul Shiels, Barry McFall; Simon McRory, Karl Stewart, Neil McManus; Conor McCann, Darren Hamill, Eddie McCloskey.
