DIVISION 1B
ANTRIM 0-25
Carlow 0-12
At Corrigan Park, Belfast
ANTRIM enjoyed their first victory of the 2026 campaign with a convincing 13-point win over Carlow on their return to Corrigan Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Saffrons had a year to be forgotten up to this point, having struggled to win a single game since the league campaign began with a last-gasp defeat to Wexford a month ago.
The opening half lived up to the battling spirit that these two have often shown in hurling contests in recent years. Both sides enjoyed the physical element of the national sport and neither shirked from the tussles for possession.
It was ropey start from Antrim, with loose balls from Niall O'Connor and Seaan Elliot. The latter could have proved costly when Jon Nolan was gifted the first goal chance of the affair but Cormac McFadden was equal to the forward’s thunderous strike.
Seaan Elliot's opening score, which came off the shoulder from the Dunloy man, gave Antrim the relief of an early score from play.
The game was a real scrap with neither side being able to regain control of the ball for long, whether it be sloppy stick passing or a loose hand pass. Martin Kavanagh kept Carlow firmly in the game with a few terrific scores from frees although Seaan Elliot proved his equal, tallying four points for Antrim in the first half.
Niall O'Connor battled hard for the Saffrons in fullback
St John's star Conor Johnston made an impressive showing on his first start for the county. Both he and Paul Boyle managed terrific scores from play which lifted the home crowd as the Saffrons found themselves with a four-point advantage on the half hour mark.
Carlow managed to end the half the stronger with a great free from Kevin McDonald. The first period ended with just a single point deficit for the Leinster men — but Antrim would kick-on in the second-half perfect fashion.
The Dunloy men Elliot and Molloy started off with two big scores for Antrim following the restart as they extended their lead to three points inside the opening four minutes.
Elliot’s third free of the half gave the hosts a four-score lead but that was instantly cut to within three after a 65 from Martin Kavanagh got the away side's first score of the second half.
Ruairí Donaghy looked to have the opening goal of the game when he found himself bearing down on goal for the Saffrons, but his strike just glanced the crossbar and over for a point.
Keelan Molloy’s monstrous effort from inside his own 30-yard line gave the Corrigan Park crowd another roar in relief as Antrim began to pull away from their opposition in the early second half stages.
Seaan Elliot continued to add scores to the Saffrons tally from the dead ball and it continued to demoralise Carlow who could not muster the same offensive threat that they showed in the opening half of hurling.
The hosts went from strength to strength and scores from Conal Cunning, James McNaughton and of, course, Seaan Elliot helped ensure the much-needed victory for the Saffrons as they opened up a yawning gap between the sides.
With Stephen Rooney and Morgan Nelson striking accurately in the closing minutes, Davy Fitzgerald’s side had earned their first victory of the Division 1B campaign.
Antrim Scorers: Seaan Elliot 0-8 (0-5f, 0-1 65’), Conal Cunning 0-6, Keelan Molloy 0-3, James McNaughton 0-2 (0-1f), Conor Johnston 0-1, Niall O’Connor 0-1, Ruairi Donaghy 0-1, Stephen Rooney 0-1, Morgan Nelson 0-1, Paul Boyle 0-1
Carlow Scorers: Martin Kavanagh 0-5 (0-5f), Kevin McDonald 0-2 (0-1f), Paddy Boland 0-1, Jon Nolan 0-1, Chris Nolan 0-1, Jack Treacy 0-1, John Michael Nolan 0-1
Antrim: Cormac McFadden; Stephen Rooney, Niall O’Connor, Paddy Burke; Eoin McFerran, Joe Maskey, Gerard Walsh; Ryan McCambridge, Keelan Molloy; Paul Boyle, Conor Johnston, Ruairi Donaghy; Seaan Elliot, James McNaughton, Conal Cunning
SUBS: Scott Walsh on for Eoin McFerran (51’), Eoin O’Neill on for Paul Boyle (59’), Joseph McLaughlin on for Ruairi Donaghy (63’), Morgan Nelson on for Conor Johnston (69’), Ryan McNulty on for Gerard Walsh (71’)
Carlow: Brian Tracey; Niall Bolger, Dion Wall, Paul Doyle; Fiach O’Toole, Kevin McDonald, Paidi O’Shea; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Paddy Boland; Chris Nolan, Donagh Murphy, Jon Nolan; Jack Treacy, John Michael Nolan, Martin Kavanagh
SUBS: Ted Joyce on for John Michael Nolan (43’), Richard Coady on for Paddy Boland (59’), Kevin Kavanagh on for Donagh Murphy (59’), Eric English on for Paidi O’Shea (67’)
