Allianz Hurling League, Division One Group B
Waterford 1-22 Antrim 0-17
DESPITE putting in a strong performance, 14-man Antrim just ran out of steam at Fraher Field in Dungarvan on Sunday as Waterford finished well to claim victory.

Austin Gleeson's introduction in the second half paid off as he landed five points down the stretch as the visitors appeared to just run out of steam in the closing stages having been a man short from the 23rd minutes when Eoghan Campbell was shown a straight red for an off-the-ball tangle with Reuben Halloran.

However, the Saffrons remained well in contention for long stages and were level with 10 to play before the hosts suddenly clicked and pulled clear.

Patrick Curran's goal from a penalty shortly after the break was also crucial with Antrim's Gerard Walsh seeing his own effort spectacularly saved by Shaun O'Brien who also saved a penalty in the corresponding fixture in Belfast last year.

Had this gone in, it would have left just two between the teams with the game moving towards added time, but the save seemed to finally shut the door on Antrim.

"In a game of attrition and playing into the breeze, 50-odd minutes (with 14 players) we looked good on the ball and brave with the ball," said Antrim manager Darren Gleeson.

"Tiernan inside in the goals was brilliant with the ball. One or two got caught out, but he's asked to play the way we wanted him to and it was just a bit ion attrition that wore us down at the end there.

"We don't do moral victories but I'm immensely proud of them and the effort today. 
I didn't see the sending off but Conor Doyle, the linesman, was close enough and he must have seen an infringement.

"It had a big bearing on the game but we hold ourselves accountable for our decisions on the field."

With the wind at their backs, Antrim opened quite brightly with Keelan Molloy landing early, but Patrick Curran levelled immediately.

The visitors were looking quite comfortable in possession as they began to find their range with Michael Bradley firing over and Conal Cunning with the first of half a dozen first-half scores.

Curran and Jamie Barron begged the visitors back, but three on the spin from Antrim was a fair reward for their play.

Playing into the wind, Waterford were forced to try and work the ball a little closer to goal for shots centre-back Callum Lyons popped up with two in the opening period.

Antrim were looking in control and had a couple of sights of goal with James McNaughton blocked down, Gerard Walsh just off target on the turn from an advantage and Seaan Elliott slipping when the ball broke, but then the big moment came on 23 minutes when Campbell was dismissed, but the visitors would remain a step ahead going into the half as Cunning continued to convert frees and Gerard Walsh landed one from deep to help Antrim into a 0-11 to 0-9 advantage at the break.

Niall O'Connor gets a pass away
3Gallery

Niall O'Connor gets a pass away

Cunning extended the Antrim lead from free early in the second period, but with the elements in their favour, Waterford began to go long and after DJ Foran was denied by Tiernan Smyth after making a great catch, the tactic paid off as another route-one approach led to a foul on Neil Montgomery by Stephen Rooney inside the penalty area and Curran blasted home the reward to tie the game.

Despite this latest setback, Antrim continued to stay in the hunt with Cunning on target from frees, but Waterford were more effective in open play as Lyons hit his third of the afternoon from deep.

Niall O'Connor and Jack Prendergast traded points with Cunning then nudging the visitors back in front for the final time on 56 minutes only to be cancelled out by Conor Prunty who split the posts from deep inside his own half.

Just as it seemed we were in for a tense finish, Gleeson nudged the hosts ahead again and this was the first of a run of five points on the spin inside of four minutes with Prunty landing another from deep, while Jack Fagan and DJ Foran got in on the act.

This was the gap on 68 minutes when Antrim were awarded a penalty of their own as Paddy Burke was deemed to have been denied a goalscoring opportunity outside the area by Calum Lyons and although Gerard Walsh struck his effort well, O'Brien made an acrobatic save.

Shaun O'Brien saves Gerard Walsh's penalty
3Gallery

Shaun O'Brien saves Gerard Walsh's penalty

That was effectively that as Gleeson reeled off a hat-trick of late scores including a beauty from play to seal Waterford's victory and leave Antrim still searing for their first points of the campaign.

"It was an improved performance. The hurling was sharp today and had Waterford in difficulty at times," Gleeson added.

"We focus on ourselves and not the opposition but then the numbers game caught us in the end.

"We had three good goal chances in the first half and didn't take any of them. We never went at the men's shoulders, but were stepping outside to strike, so that's something to build on.
"I didn't think our first two performances were as weak as a few people had said. Dublin is a good tam and there were three points in it and we had a number of chances.

"Kilkenny were scoreless for 16 minutes and we didn't do anything with it and again today, our purple patch wasn't enough in the middle 15 minutes of the first half as we had loads of chances in that time."

WATERFORD: S O'Brien; C Gleeson, C Prunty (0-2), C Ryan (0-1); S McNulty, C Lyons (0-3), J Fagan (0-1); G Fives, P Leavey (0-1); J Barron (0-1), P Curran (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), N Montgomery (0-1); J Prendergast (0-1), DJ Foran (0-1), R Halloran
Subs: C Daly for S McNulty (HT), A Gleeson (0-5, 4 frees) for R Halleron (45), P Fitzgerald  (0-1) for Padraig Curran (54), Patrick Fitzgerald for N Montgomery (61), C Dunford for P Leavey (66)

ANTRIM: T Smyth; P Burke, R McGarry, S Rooney; G Walsh (0-1 free), E Campbell, C Bohill; M Bradley (0-1), P Boyle (0-1); K Molloy (0-2), N McKenna, N McManus; C Cunning (0-11, 10 frees), J McNaughton, S Elliott.
Subs: N O'Connor (0-1) for C Bohill (33), E O'Neill for S Elliott (HT), N Elliott for N McManus (46), J Maskey for P Boyle (57), R McMullan for N McKenna (70+3)

REFEREE: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)