Allianz Hurling League - Division 1B
Wexford 1-13
Antrim 1-12
At Chadwick's Park, Wexford
DESPITE Antrim's physical and well-drilled performance for the most part of this game, a last-gasp strike for the hosts saw Wexford steal the points at Chadwick's Park on Saturday evening.
Antrim managed the opening score after late addition Seaan Elliot struck a terrific score from far enough out from the free, but Tucker Kinsella was soon on hand to respond for the hosts.
Elliot continued to impress after striking a brace of frees from distance, but given the blustery winds the accuracy was a sight to behold from the Dunloy man.
Conor Hearne halved his side's deficit with a great score after linking with Banville to point for the hosts but Sean Duffin managed to strike with a great effort over the shoulder before Ryan McCambridge got his tally underway for the Saffrons with a terrific effort from inside his own half.
Wexford did react with a score from Roche who fired over their first free of the afternoon to continue to cut into the Saffron's lead in the opening half.
Joe Maskey spurned a great chance when he failed to see the oncoming Seaan Elliot and opted to continue his bear on goal but was dispossessed.
Dunloy man Seaan Elliot continued to show his terrific point-scoring ability as he thumped his fourth score for Antrim but Simon Roche kept Wexford within one score as the half tailed.
It was more a game of Roche versus Elliot as the pair of forwards went tit-for-tat in the opening half but the former scored once more to level the game on the half hour mark.
Antrim earned themselves a late lead as they headed into the break, a terrific end to the half gave the Saffrons a healthy three score lead when Paddy Burke's score restored Antrim's lead. The Dunloy pair of Conal Cunning and Seaan Elliot got in on the act and both scored massive scores to send Davy Fitzgerald's side in with an important half-time lead.
As the second period commenced the weather conditions took a turn for the worse with the rain beginning to teem down and the swirling wind made the slíotar unpredictable for both sides.
Colum Cunning managed to strike a terrific score using the wind to his advantage with his strike flying between the posts for the first score of the second period.
A moment of madness from both Gerard Walsh and Richie Lawlor saw the pair sent for an early bath with the Antrim half-back being shown a straight red card for an incident off the ball and Lawlor receiving his marching duties for a second yellow card.
Wexford struggled to cope with the physical nature of Antrim in this game with the dirty ball mostly being collected by a man in a Saffron shirt.
Paul Boyle battled in horrible conditions on Saturday evening
James Byrne and Simon Roche both replied to reduce Wexford's deficit to just the two scores after the pair of dismissals.
Seaan Elliot's fifth and sixth frees of the game for Antrim maintained their advantage as the Dunloy man's flurry of quick-fire frees extended the Saffron's lead to five points with less than ten minutes remaining.
Darren Codd's point breathed life into the home side as his score once again saw Wexford eat into the Antrim lead, but with just minutes remaining Antrim were truly clinging on for dear life.
Jack Redmond looked to have carved out the first real goal chance of the evening but despite finding a purple jersey, the slíotar evaded the net and trickled over the line for a 65 which was struck over by Simon Roche once again.
And just as the clock ticked on the final minute of normal time, Simon Roche once more made no mistake from the set-piece as the game was levelled. Antrim looked rattled in the final few minutes of normal time, but Davy Fitzgerald was determined not to allow his former side to get one over on him that easy.
Conor Johnston came up trumps for Antrim, the St John's forward managed to find the net in what proved the only goal of the game.
The closing stages saw Redmond strike two terrific points as Antrim's margin was just two points but with the final strike of a slíotar disaster struck. Jack McCloskey's persistence to ignore the referee's instructions saw Wexford's final free of the contest dragged to Antrim's 21-yard line from its initial positioning inside the host's own half.
Wexford shot-stopper Mark Fanning then stepped up and thundered home a free off the top of the bar and into the roof of net for a devastating goal, soon followed by the final whistle.
Davy Fitzgerald will no doubt be furious with his side's discipline, but will take the great performance as a sign of major improvement from last season as they welcome Clare next Sunday.
WEXFORD: M Fanning 1-0; D Clarke, C Foley, D Carley; N Murphy, R Lawlor, E Wickham; C Hearne 0-1, R Banville; J Byrne 0-1, K Foley, C O'Connor; T Kinsella 0-1, S Roche 0-8 (0-5f, 0-1 65'), C Byrne
Subs: D Mahon, D Reck, D Codd, J Redmond 0-2, D Fenlon, E Whelan, C Regan, D Codd, C Byrne Dunbar, P Dempsey, D O'Leary
ANTRIM: D Nugent; P Burke 0-1, E McFerran, R McCormick; G Walsh, S McKay, J Maskey; E O'Neill, R McCambridge 0-1; S Walsh, P Boyle, S Duffin 0-1; S Elliot 0-7 (0-6f), J McNaughton, C Cunning 0-2
Subs: C McFadden, S Rooney, R McNulty, K McCann, B McGarry, C McKeown, S Elliot, C Johnston 1-0, M Nelson, R Donaghy, J McCloskey
