Allianz Football League Division Four semi-final
Waterford 0-11 Antrim 1-15
ANTRIM secured promotion to Division Four thanks to a well-deserved seven-point win over Waterford at a hot and humid Fraher Field in Dungarvan.
Odhran Eastwood scored the game’s only goal six minutes from time after both teams, particularly Antrim, squandered a host of goal chances throughout.
Yet, Antrim always seemed to have enough in hand to keep the Déise at bay and will join Mickey Harte’s Louth in Division Three next season.
Speaking after the game, Antrim trainer Stephen Quinn hailed the commitment and determination of the squad, who finished third in Division Four in each of the last three campaigns.
“The lads have missed out on promotion over the past few years and there was always going to be an edginess to that performance,” said Quinn.
“As a result, the decision-making up front wasn’t what we’d like it to be. If we had have tapped a few of those chances over the bar, the game would have been a lot easier and Waterford had it back to four points at one stage.
“From the moment we’ve started training this team, their number one aim was to get promoted and they were determined to do that. They knew they had the ability to do that. Now, they rode their luck at times during the campaign, but they gave away a big lead against Leitrim and that was a wake-up call coming here today.
“I think there was a lot of hurt in them, certainly from last year. Enda (McGinley) has been watching club football for a long time in Antrim and he always said they are a better side than they have been showing at county level.
“The lads have all bought-in this year and there has been a great effort from them to get the job done.”
Odhran Eastwood wins possession
While they might have put a few more goals past Paudie Hunt, at the other end, Antrim’s defence was superb, holding the Waterford starting forwards to just 0-3 from play.
St Gall’s clubman Eoghan McCabe didn’t look out of place in corner-back in his first senior start while Ricky Johnston and James Laverty were outstanding.
Antrim were by far the better team in the first quarter with Creggan Kickhams duo Ruairi McCann (mark) and Conor Small opening the scoring before a brace of scores from Odhran Eastwood and another mark from McCann moved the Saffrons five clear.
A free from Eastwood left his side 0-6 to no score ahead at the first water break and the St Enda’s attacker tagged on another score on the restart with an excellent point from an acute angle.
Waterford finally got off the mark on 27 minutes when midfielder Jason Curry slotted over a ’45 and full-forward Dylan Guiry had a sight of goal when he blasted over moments later.
The hosts rattled off another point from the boot of wing-back Dermot Ryan before both sides passed up goal chances.
Guiry crashed an effort off the post after forcing his way past Rickey Johnston while, at the other end, Conor Murray fired wide of either post in quick succession approaching half-time.
A free from Curry cut the gap back to four momentarily before Antrim closed the half with a fine point from play from Ryan Murray to take a 0-9 to 0-5 lead into the half-time interval.
It took the Saffrons just 40 seconds of the second half to extend the lead via Eastwood and Enda McGinley’s men ought to have put the game beyond doubt, but were denied by two excellent saves by Waterford goalkeeper Paudie Hunt.
Conor Murray was played through on goal by his Lámh Dheag clubmate Marc Jordan, but his low effort lacked conviction and Hunt was equal to the shot.
However, Hunt was at his brilliant best moments later when he produced a remarkable fingertip save to turn away a shot from Jordan which seemed destined for the back of the net.
The Lámh Dhearg quintet of Marc Jordan, Conor and Ryan Murray, Paddy Cunningham and Declan Lynch after the game
Waterford managed to reduce the deficit to four once again before the second water break with Curry landing a point from play, but a fisted effort from Antrim midfielder Conor Stewart had Antrim back in command.
Inside the final 10 minutes, a booming fist-pass forward from his midfield colleague Niall McKeever released substitute Adam Loughran as Antrim cut through on goal once more. The ball was transferred to Eastwood who showed great composure to round Hunt and bury the ball into the net to move his side into a comfortable 1-14 to 0-8 lead.
Waterford finished with a flurry of later scores from substitutes Jason Gleeson (two) and Mark Cummins, but Antrim were full-value for their seven-point success and, after three consecutive near-misses, secured promotion from the basement division.
WATERFORD: P Hunt; S Boyce, J Elsted, D Ó Cathasaigh; M Curry, B Looby, D Ryan (0-1); T Prendergast, J Curry (0-4, 0-2fs, 0-1 ’45); M Kiely (0-1), C Murray, D Hallinan; S Curry, D Guiry (0-1), D Corcoran (0-1). Subs: J Gleeson (0-2) for Corcoran (46), A Jones for Hallinan (45), M Cummins (0-1) for Boyce (50), S O’Meara for Guiry (61), D Fitzgerald for Kiley (67), C Maguire for J Curry (67), D Meehan for Ryan (67).
ANTRIM: L Mulholland; E McCabe, R Johnston, P Healy; D McAleese, J Laverty; M Jordan; N McKeever, C Stewart (0-1); Ryan Murray (0-3, 0-1f), C Murray, P McBride (0-1); O Eastwood (1-5, 0-2fs), R McCann (0-4, 0-2m), C Small (0-1). Subs: E Walsh for McAleese (22), K Small for R Murray (43), T McCann for C Small (46), A Loughran for C Murray (63), J McAuley for Jordan (63), J Crozier for Stewart (71), P Cunningham for Eastwood (71).
REFEREE: David Murnane (Cork)
