Fourteen-man Antrim for whom Dominic McEnhill was outstanding and who had Joseph Finnegan dismissed on a straight red near the end, turned in a sparkling performance to claim their first league win in Division 4, defeating Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon.
A number of yellow cards were issued to players from both sides and particularly so during the first half. A spell of bad-tempered action coming up to half time somewhat detracted from what was otherwise an entertaining game, which Antrim fully deserved to win.
Aided by the breeze the Ulster side, who were well on top, hit fives wides in the first five minutes. After that Mark Diffley put Leitrim ahead when he fired over a two-pointer on the 10 minute mark. It was even- Stephen within the space of two more minutes when Dominic McEnhill split the Leitrim uprights with another two pointer.
Eoghan McCabe edged the Saffrons in front with a 16th-minute point. Over the next nine minutes the Saffrons raced into a nine-point lead with Conor Hand finding the Leitrim net while McEnhill and goalkeeper John McNabb fired over two-pointers with Pat Shivers chipping with a point.
Paul Honeyman replied with a Leitrim point on the 26 minutes. Antrim hit back over the next seven minutes with points each from Eunan Walsh, Joseph Finnegan and Paddy McAleer. A goal before the break by Honeyman for Leitrim reduced the deficit but Antrim carried a 1 -11 to 1 -03 lead into their dressing room at the interval.
After the restart Antrim pulled further ahead by the 44th minute with McEnhill putting over two frees while John McNabb converted a two-pointer from a placed ball. Over the next nine minutes Leitrim replied with two-pointers from Ben Guckian, Paul Honeyman and Barry McNulty.
But then Antrim ended Leitrim's second-half surge when Paddy McAleer crashed home a 56th minute- goal. Leitrim continued to battle in vain over the next nine minutes with Barry McNulty hitting over two orange flags, one of which was from a free while Jack Kelly also chipped in with a point for the home side in this period.
In this period also the visitors replied with points from Ryan McQuillan and McEnhill with McNulty closing Leitrim scoring before the finish when he split the Antrim uprights.
Leitrim: Killian Gaffey; Eoin McLoughlin, Kieran Clancy, Conor Reynolds; Oisin McLoughlin, Mark Diffley (0-02p) , Éanna McNamara; Conor Quinn, Keith Keegan; Fergal McLoughlin, Riordan O'Rourke, Michael McKiernan; Ben Guckian (0-2 2p), Ryan O'Rourke, Paul Honeyman (1-03 2p).
Subs: Barry McNulty 0 – 7 2pf (0 2p for O McLoughlin (HT); Tom Prior for F McLoughlin (43); Gavin Reynolds for McKiernan (51); Seán Harkin for Reynolds (58); Jack Kelly 0 – 1 for Honeyman (64).
Antrim: John McNabb (0-05 2p, 2pf f); Sean O'Neill, Joseph Finnegan, Kavan Keenan; Eoghan McCabe 0 – 1, Ronan Boyle, Mark Jordan; Paddy McAleer (1-01), Tomas McFerran; Conor Hand (1-00), Pat Shivers (0-1), Eunan Walsh (0 -01) Ryan McQuillen (0-02); Adrian Loughran, Dominic McEnhill (0 –08)
Subs: Ryan Murray for Loughran (61); Cathal Hynds for Boyle (67); Tiernan McCormack for Keenan (69); James McAuley for Keenan (72).
Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan).
