Allianz Hurling League Division One, Section B
Kilkenny 1-28 Antrim 3-15
ANTRIM'S hurlers gave Kilkenny plenty to think about in Nowlan Park, but ultimately the hosts found the answers to claim the points in this Allianz Hurling League Division one clash.
The Saffrons battled back from nine down to level in the space of five second half minutes, but Kilkenny didn't panic and managed to quell the Saffrons' uprising with a run of scores just when there was a sense that Antrim were about to take another huge scalp.
Seven points separated the sides at the finish but it could have been much closer only for Kilkenny goalkeeper Darren Brennan who made two big saves in the opening half including one from a penalty, while the crossbar would also deny Antrim goal late on.
It was a mixed bag of a performance from Antrim who seemed a little off colour early on, but managed to turn it around and brought their usual work ethic as the game progressed, but it ultimately wasn't enough to take the scalp of Brian Cody's side.
"It's a big learning curve for everyone," said manager Darren Gleeson after.
"For us as a management team, the players themselves too. The players covered themselves well there today. They didn't hurl great and didn't work as hard in the first half, but they'll learn from it and fought back in the second half, so that's all we can look for as a management team.
"We were defeated and that's all that matters. I said last week that this is a League and judge us at the end of it, not after one result."
Antrim's Gerard Walsh challenges Adrian Mullen
Having beaten Clare last week, Antrim - unbeaten in 12 games - travelled south with confidence and were first on the board through Conor McCann as the rain poured early on.
Kilkenny gradually grew into the game and clipped over the next six points with James Bergin and Alan Murphy to the fore and could have found the net in this spell when Adrian Mullen was sent clear, but lost his balance at the vital moment with Antrim able to clear.
James McNaughton got Antrim's second of the day on 13 minutes and the visitors could have found the net on 15 minutes when Conal Cunning found himself in, but Darren Brennan made a great stop from the Dunloy man as Kilkenny remained 0-6 to 0-2 ahead at the water break.
Paddy Deegan and Cunning traded points upon the resumption before Kilkenny did get the goal they had been threatening as Richie Reid put Eoin Cody through who made no mistake from point-blank range.
Niall McKenna replied with a score at the other end, but Kilkenny was the side with momentum even though their shooting was letting them down as they hit nine first-half wides.
They were eight clear on 33 minutes when Antrim had a huge chance for a goal their challenge needed when they were awarded a penalty after Keelan Molloy was cynically taken down by Conor Browne - minus his hurley - outside the area, giving referee Sean Stack no option but to award the penalty and send Browne to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
However, Brennan was equal to Ciaran Clarke's penalty as Kilkenny cleared and a late exchange of scores from Murphy and Gerard Walsh left Kilkenny 1-11 to 0-6 ahead at the break.
Kilkenny hit two of the first three points of the second period, but suddenly Antrim clicked into gear as they hit three points in succession through James McNaughton (two) and Conor McCann, but it would get even better as they struck back-to-back goals in the 44th and 45th minutes to level.
First, Clarke took down a long ball in from Michael Bradley and fed Conal Cunning who found the corner before Clarke rippled the net himself when Neil McManus had his shot well saved by Brennan.
Kilkenny responded brilliantly and just turned it up a notch to wipe out those goals by landing the next six points through Murphy (three), Martin Keoghan, Conor Browne and Bergin to leave them 1-19 to 2-10 ahead entering the final quarter.
Further points from Adrian Mullen and Richie Reid appeared to have put therm clear, but Antrim were not done yet with three of the next four points and when Neil McManus lashed low into the net on 62 minutes, there was just a goal in it.
Eoghan Campbell closes down Eoin Cody
However, Kilkenny again responded well with Mullen, Keoghan, Browne and Murphy all raising white with McManus then seeing his 20-meter free crass off the crossbar to deny a grandstand finish.
Michael Bradley and Murphy traded late points, but it was Kilkenny who emerged winners having fended off Antrim's second half surge.
"Coming to Nowlan Park, a difficult place to get a result, and after a slow start, a team like Kilkenny will punish those mistakes," added Gleeson.
"The work-rate and intensity that we missed int he first half - you're going to get punished. The second half we decided: let's work, and we did. We got back to level after missing a lot of chances previously.
"In the first half we left two goals behind us: the penalty and a very good save from the goalkeeper. Late on we forced a couple of frees that were blocked or hit the crossbar, but overall the consistency of the play wasn't there from last week. We probably weren't allowed as Kilkenny are a serious outfit, but we recovered well so we just have to learn to finish things out at this level."
KILKENNY: D Brennan; T Walsh, H Lawlor, P Deegan (0-1); D Blanchfield, P Walsh, C Browne (0-2); R Reid (0-1), C Buckley; L Blanchfield, E Cody (1-1), M Keoghan (0-2); J Bergin (0-4), A Mullen (0-3), A Murphy (0-13, 9 frees). Subs: J Donnelly (0-1) for L Blanchfield (HT), J Holden for P Deegan (45), C Fogarty for R Reid (56), T O'Dwyer for J Bergin (61), M Carey for C Buckley (66). Blood sub: E O'Shea for E Cody (70+1, not reversed)
ANTRIM: R Elliott; S Rooney, G Walsh (0-1), D McMullan; E Campbell, P Burke, J Maskey; N McManus (1-0), K Molloy; N McKenna (0-1), J McNaughton (0-6, 2 frees), M Bradley (0-1); C Cunning (1-1), C McCann (0-2), C Clarke (1-3, 0-3 frees). Subs: E O'Neill for N McKenna (48), Conor Johnston for C Cunning (52), D Nugent for K Molloy (52), P Duffin for D McMullan (55), Dan McCloskey for C McCann (63), S Shannon for C Clarke (66), Ciaran Johnston for S Rooney (66).
REFEREE: Sean Stack (Dublin)
