Joe McDonagh Cup final
Antrim 5-22 Kerry 4-24
IT was exciting, far too exciting, but Antrim regained the Joe McDonagh Cup on Saturday evening in a repeat of the 2020 victory over Kerry, but they escaped by the skin of their teeth after a remarkable comeback from the Munster outfit in a Croke Park thriller.
The Saffrons led by 12 at one stage in the first half and while they would never lose the advantage, ended up just one ahead at the final whistle.
It took scores off the bench and a steady nerve and Kerry came at them in waves, finding goals at key times with Podge Boyle driving them on with 2-12 to his name - albeit his second major being something of a consolation at the death - but Antrim had their heroes too with Conal Cunning leading the way with 1-12, while Ciaran Clarke hit a pair of goals and four points off the bench eventually saw them home.
When it came to the crunch, it was those men off the bench plus some huge plays late on from Seaan Elliott to get a couple of blocks in and Cunning nailing a long free that helped the Saffrons over the line and into next year's Leinster Championship.
"We saw Kerry in Belfast a few weeks ago: they're relentless and kept going and going," said a delighted, yet relieved Antrim manager Darren Gleeson.
"We emptied and threw everything we had at it, lost our shape, but we won and did enough by one. The second half was crazy as we lost our shape and that can happen in games. It was really hard to get instructions in too as we look at ourselves on the sideline there and think what more could we have done.
"It was a rollercoaster out there, the boys threw everything they had at it for 45-50 minutes and had a couple of lads coming back from injury who just didn't last the pace.
"The likes of Ciaran (Clarke), Keelan (Molloy), Michael Bradley - guys who have struggled all season - and James McNaughton: when their pace was high they were brilliant.
"Seaan Elliott played with a broken thumb and made some huge plays at the end. Conal Cunning - his nerve was unbelievable. Those are young lads who have had a lot invested in them the past couple of years and they came through today."
James McNaughton celebrates netting Antrim's second goal
It couldn't have been a better start for Antrim playing into Hill 16 and the wind as after an early exchange of frees from Cunning and Boyle, Neil McManus nudged Antrim ahead before their first goal arrived on five minutes as Joe Maskey made a strong run up the right and played in Ciaran Clarke who junked and was never going to miss, blasting past Louis Dee.
Seaan Elliott was then hooked by Mikey Boyle when about to pull the trigger, but they didn't have long to wait for a second major as a long free from Gerard Walsh was broken to James McNaughton who finished.
Antrim's direct low ball into the forwards was terrorising Kerry who just could get to grip with the quick and slick Saffrons who appeared to be on for a field day, playing scintillating stuff with Cunning piling on the scores from frees and Keelan Molloy knocking over his second of the day.
Gavin Dooley hit Kerry's second from play and fifth overall on 24 minutes that was cancelled out by a Cunning free.
However, leading by 2-11 to 0-5 and seemingly coasting, this game took a huge swing towards Kerry with the introduction of Jordan Conway giving them more of a balancer in attack, yet it was a break forward by Fionan Mackessy which led to a penalty as Conal Bohill has a tug at him and Boyle sent a rocket of a shot into the top corner of Ryan Elliott's goal on 26 minutes.
This would galvanise the Kingdom who looked a different team with Boyle guilty of a poor miss for a goal from point-blank range, firing wide, yet Kerry out-scored Antrim by four to two with the half in injury time.
Just seven points was now the gap, but Antrim hit them with a huge sucker punch as Clarke played an exquisite ball to send Molloy through on goal and while Dee was equal to his effort, Seaan Elliott finished the rebound to help Antrim into a much healthier 3-14 to 1-10 half-time advantage.
Seaan Elliott sweeps home Antrim's third major
Daniel Collins clipped over a score for Kerry 15 seconds after the heart and while Antrim hit back with two of their own through Clarke and the ever-accurate Cunning, there was a sense that Kerry were getting the measure of them, winning the breaks as Antrim lost their shape and began hitting some aimless long balls instead of going low that paid dividends in the first period.
However, it was from a long poc-out from Ryan Elliott that dropped in the Kerry danger area and saw Cunning win the race to whip past Dee to seemingly steady the Saffrons.
But Kerry would not go away, eating into the deficit with Shane Conway coming more into the game, Boyle continuing to convert frees and Collins adding another before they roared into this contest on 50 minutes as substitutes combined with Niall Mulcahy playing inside to Jordan Conway who blasted home.
James McNaughton responded Wirth a point, but Conway whipped home his second goal straight after and suddenly the gap was two when Antrim were awarded a 59th-minute penalty that also saw Paudie O'Connor sin-binned for a chop on Neil McManus and Clarke blasted home.
Jordan Conway celebrates netting for Kerry 
Still, there was no quit in Kerry who were matching Antrim, but Niall McKenna, Daniel McKernan and Eoin O'Neill landed some huge scores off the bench to gave them a little bit of comfort late in stoppage time when Boyle rattled his second goal, but it was with the last act of the game as Antrim claimed the honours, condemning Kerry to a third-straight final defeat.
"I'm very proud of the lads in the second half," said Kerry manager Stephen Molumphy.
"Giving Antrim lead, coming back and even then we had chances to win it.
I'm proud of the lads. They are an exceptional bunch who consistently perform although maybe not the first half as Antrim out-worked us and that was it.
"In the second half, we went to work and the way they kept fighting and brought it back...
"We're maybe ahead of where we'd planned to be this year, but when you are here you have to win it as there's no guarantee you're getting back here the next year."
KERRY: L Dee; S Weir, C O'Keefe, E Leen; E Ross, M Boyle, F Mackessy (0-1); M Leane (0-2), P Boyle (2-12, 1-0 pen, 0-6 fees, 0-1 65); C Walsh, C Harty, P O'Connor (0-1); G Dooley (0-1), D Collins (0-3), S Conway (0-2).
Subs: J Conway (2-2) for C Harty (25), M O'Connor (0-1) for G Dooley (45), N Mulcahy for C Walsh (49), B Lonergan for D Collins (64)
ANTRIM: R Elliott; D Kearney, G Walsh, P Burke; J Maskey, E Campbell, C Bohill; M Bradley, K Molloy (0-2); C McCann, J McNaughton (1-1), C Clarke (2-2, 1-0 pen); C Cunning (1-12, 0-9 frees), N McManus (0-2), S Elliott (1-0).
Subs: D McKernan (0-1) for C Bohill (50), D Nugent for C McCann (53), N McKenna (0-1) for J McNaughton (62), C Johnston C Clarke (64), E O'Neill (0-1) for N McManus (69)
Blood sub: R McGarry for E Campbell (22-23)
REFEREE: Sean Stack (Dublin)
Further coverage in this week's print editions and also on belfastmedia.com
