Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Westmeath 1-19 Antrim 4-24

WITH their Leinster Championship future on the line, Antrim's hurlers delivered a stunning performance at a sunny Cusack Park in Mullingar as they powered over the line at the expense of the hosts who now face the drop.

To a man, the Saffrons stood up and aside from a 10 minute spell before the break, were in control as they banked a win they simply had to get.

It is hard to single out anyone to shone the brightest as there were huge performances from front to back and they even overcame some adversity in that pre-half-time spell when goalkeeper Ryan Elliott was sin-binned with Gerard Walsh dropping into goals for that 10-minute period either side of the half.

Having worked so hard to get into the Leinster Championship, relegation back to McDonagh level again was unthinkable and this Antrim side were not in a mood to countenance such a scenario as two down at the break, they raised their game to a level the hosts couldn't deal with.

"When you're on the inter-county journey, it's the journey of a lifetime," said a delighted Antrim manager Darren Gleeson.

"I said at half time: 'Lads, let's keep this journey going for the county and they did that. They expressed themselves, freed up and were magical there in the second half.

"We had our standard 10 minutes before half-time blip, four points up and went in two down. We were getting frustrated, disappointed with some of the decisions but I suppose in the second half we detached from that and just went for it.

"Two really good points coming out after half-time and then you look at the board, we're level on numbers and breeze at our backs, so they kicked on.

"We (management) didn't have much to do in the second half as they just flowed.

"I just felt all the way through that second half we were comfortable. A lot of times we've got into leads like that and we've fumbled them but today we only looked like we were going one way. They were composed, the lads set up well and even they (Westmeath) brought on Niall Mitchell, who is a handful, but we never looked threatened inside.

"Gerard (Walsh) was immense in the air; Eoghan (Campbell) after his little blip in the first half was immense in the second; Paddy Burke and Seaan Elliott...

"I know Conall Bohill went off injured, but he worked so hard to get out on the field and Neil McManus shouldn't have been on a hurling field today. He got a scan the other day and we'd have nearly been better not seeing it but he mentally said: I'm playing this match.

"Seaan Elliott, Michael Bradley carrying a shoulder injury for three games, Eoghan Campbell with a badly hampered foot and couldn't do anything with it but managed to get to the field today - it just shows what it means to them."

Conal Cunning celebrates hitting Antrim's first goal
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Conal Cunning celebrates hitting Antrim's first goal

Westmeath held the early initiative, but Antrim then roared into the the game with two goals in five minutes, the first coming eight in when James McNaughton broke forward and passed inside to Cunning to thump home and then a Michael Bradley delivery squirted free with Conor Johnston whipping home.

That put Antrim 2-2 to 0-5 up and they powered on with the next four points with Niall McKenna floating over two, plus Cunning and Seaan Elliott found their range.

Westmeath his back with two, but had goalkeeper Noel Conaty to thank for preventing Neil McManus from rattling the net with a a superb save, while at the other end immediately after, Niall O'Brien had a shot deflected out for a 65 that Doyle converted.

A Niall O'Connor point was the Antrim reply, but they were hit for a goal on 31 minutes as Eoghan Campbell was dispossessed and Owen McCabe took advantage to head for goal and in the process of finding the net, was tripped by Ryan Elliott who was black-carded and Gerard Walsh went into goal.

This was a huge lift for the hosts who hit four in-a-row before the break as they led 1-12 to 2-7 at the interval.

It was now or never for Antrim who had to win to save themselves and the marker was set from the throw-in as Keelan Molloy gathered and raced through to point within 10 seconds and then Neil McManus, as he has done time and again, jinked and sailed over with James McNaughton then catching and pointing to turn it around.

Westmeath hung in for a brief period, getting level on a couple of occasions but the momentum was firmly with the Saffrons who were now in full flow, their attacking play exceptional but what allowed them to flow was a huge effort of hooking, blocking, roaring into challenges and turning Westmeath over time and again.

Gerard Walsh beats Niall Mitchell to the ball
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Gerard Walsh beats Niall Mitchell to the ball

Cunning, McManus, McNaughton, Johnston, Elliott and corner back Niall O'Connor all found their range as the Saffrons pushed the gap out to eight coming down the stretch.

They finished with a superb flourish as three minutes from time, Keelan Molloy picked out his Dunloy clubmate Eoin O'Neill who had been introduced and he jinked clear to rattle the net.

Two minutes later and James McNaughton got his goal when Seaan Elliott put him in and late scores from Cunning and O'Neill capped a great day for Antrim who delivered in emphatic fashion when the pressure was at its greatest.

Westmeath will now play Joe McDonagh Cup hurling due to Wexford's win over Kilkenny, but for Antrim, their Leinster status is secure.

WESTMEATH: N Conaty; D Egerton, C Shaw, J Bermingham (0-1); T Doyle, A Craig, R Greville; J Galvin (0-2, 1 sideline), C McCormack; D Glennon (0-4), E Keys, N O'Brien (0-3, 1 free); O McCabe (1-0), J Boyle (0-2), C Doyle (0-7, 4 frees, 2 65s).
Subs: N Mitchell for C McCormack (41), P Clarke for A Craig (49), D McNicholas for C Doyle (59), C Boyle for C Shaw (70), K Regan for O McCabe (70+1)

ANTRIM: R Elliott; P Burke, G Walsh, N O'Connor (0-2); R McGarry, E Campbell, C Bohill; K Molloy (0-1),   M Bradley; J McNaughton (1-3), C Johnston (1-1), N McKenna (0-3); C Cunning (1-9, 0-7 frees), N McManus (0-2), S Elliott (0-2).
Subs: D McKernan for C Bohill (11), E O'Neill (1-1) for C Johnston (61), R McMullan for N McManus (70), J Maskey for N McKenna (70+1), D Nugent for C Cunning (70+3)

REFEREE: Kevin Jordan (Tipperary)