Seamus Heaney Cup
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship - Final
ANTRIM 1-18
Wicklow 3-11
At Inniskeen

JOEY Griffin's terrific solo point in added time, helped Antrim seal the All-Ireland minor crown after a surreal comeback against Wicklow in Inniskeen in Saturday afternoon's Seamus Heaney All-Ireland Minor Football Championship final.

A victory which was truly snatched from the jaws of defeat, as Antrim managed to come back from an 11-point deficit to Wicklow, in the final 15-minutes of play to clinch the feat and become champions.

The Saffrons were off the mark early doors when Conor McArt struck the first score of the contest to make Antrim's early possession pay-off, but their early lead was soon turned on its head with Wicklow striking heavy scores in response.

Lucas Reid took it upon himself to drive at the Antrim backline and thumped a terrific between the posts for an orange flag to be raised, and soon after Wicklow found their first of three goals when Harry Butler managed to evade the challenges of the Antrim back-line and chanced an effort over his shoulder and found the top corner of the net.

Wicklow found their stride and Antrim struggled to cope with the pressure with Oscar Nolan striking, before Harry Butler cracked a ferocious two-pointer from the left-hand side and the Leinster county continued to increase their lead.

A response from Antrim did eventually rear its head when Dara Campbell clipped an effort between the uprights for a white flag, and Campbell thought he had the goal at his mercy if not for Jack Peter Nolan's superb save to deny the midfielder a first major.

Tom Convery and Colm Kane both cut the deficit to within four points, and the Saffrons were within touching distance mid-way through the first half, eventually Wicklow pursued a big lead with Enda Leacy and Joe Keeshan both pointing from play, and Oscar Nolan finding another white flag to cancel out the Antrim flurry of scores.

It was going from bad to worse for the young Saffrons when a brilliant team goal was punched in by Sam Goodbody for a second Wicklow goal and their lead reached ten with the half beginning to fade.

Tom Convery did end the cycle of scores from the Leinster side but Joe Keeshan replied to see the small whistle sounded with double figures splitting the sides at the break and Antrim staring down the barrel of a disappointing defeat.

Antrim looked resurgent as the game resumed when Dara Campbell found space and once again was inches away from seeing a goal flash on the scoreboard, but his effort crept just inches wide of the post.

The second half started with Colm Kane, who cut the momentum with a great solo score from short range, but Shea McFerran had a monumental say on proceedings when he saw an orange flag raised for his sensational strike from outside the arc, before he latched onto the ball and blasted it home for a goal and six points separated the sides.

Antrim began motoring and Wicklow were clinging on for dear life when Dara Campbell launched a rocket of a two-pointed effort just inside the upright for another major score to cut the deficit again.

Despite reducing it to within a goal after Sionan McCormack's score, Wicklow looked destined to clinch the trophy when O'Brien found the net in a conspicuous circumstance where he appeared to be inside the square upon his second attempt.

Six points separated the team and the clock was dwindling down with ten minutes remaining, but the goal would be Wicklow's final mark on the scoreboard and scores from McCormack, Conall Wilson and Shea McFerran brought the sides within a goal.

Big games require big moments from players and Dara Campbell stepped up once again with an absolutely monstrous two-pointed free from 50-yards which kissed the bar and an orange flag was raised.

Some well-worked Antrim play found Campbell inside with space again, and a great clipped effort levelled the game on the final minute of play.

Four minutes of added time were announced and the Saffrons played keep ball and hoped for an opportunity to arise, but their calm presence and mature nature on the ball allowed them a chance to burn the clock and eventually Joey Griffin retrieved the ball and after some solo dribbling he found the space, cut inside and blasted it over the bar for the lead.

Wicklow's final attack was short-circuited with the referee's whistle blowing for a foul, and soon after the final blow of the whistle sounded and Antrim were crowned All-Ireland Minor Tier 3 champions.

ANTRIM: N Quinn; C McKenna, S McLernon (c), B O'Donnell, T Douthart, C McArt 0-1, S McCormack 0-2; D Campbell 0-6, T Convery 0-2; C Wilson 0-1, J Griffin 0-1, S McPeake; C Kane 0-2, S McFerran 1-3, T Lee

WICKLOW: J Peter Nolan; C Kehoe, S O'Brien 1-0, E Leacy 0-2; O Kelly, C Fitzgerald, S Byrne; O Nolan 0-2, J Keeshan 0-2; J Furlong, O Cullen, L Reid 0-2 ; H Butler 1-3, S Corrigan, S Goodbody 1-0