Antrim will take plenty of momentum into their relegation play-off clash with Laois after they produced an intelligent, thoughtful game of hurling to outclass Offaly at St. Brendan’s Park in Birr.
Four defeats in their first four starts in this Allianz National Hurling League campaign meant that Antrim were destined for the relegation final in Division 1B regardless of what happened here.
The home side were assured of their place in the last eight regardless of what happened here, with Kilkenny next on the agenda following the Cats’ win over Wexford in Division 1A, and manager Kevin Martin consequently chose to experiment with his team selection, retaining just four of the players that started the previous game against Laois.
His new-look team struggled to compete in the early stages as Antrim burst out of the blocks with 1-2 in the first five minutes, their goal tapped in by Daniel McCloskey after a mix up in the Offaly full back line presented the Loughgiel Shamrocks player with one of the easiest goal chances he could ever hope for.
Offaly responded well and they drew level when Peter Geraghty rounded off an excellent attacking move to blast the sliothar past Ryan Elliot a couple of minutes later, but that type of incisive hurling was all too rare from the home side as they struggled to get good ball into their forward division, hitting far too many aimless deliveries down the throat of Eoghan Campbell.
The visitors, in contrast, kept the ball in hand and worked it up through the lines with some good support play and crisp short-range stick passing, avoiding the tackle and picking off score after score, the majority from the right flank of the attack. Campbell initiated several of these attacks while Conor McKinley and Joe Maskey were also excellent in the wing back roles, completely dominating their Offaly counterparts all across that line.
Joe Bergin struck some excellent scores while Cillian Kiely also hit the target twice from range for the Offaly men, but they still trailed at the interval, 1-10 to 1-9.
The first two points after the break went to Antrim and for most of the half the visitors held Offaly at bay, with Campbell and Maskey (twice) on target from distance as they took full advantage of their extra man at the back.
Shane Dooley’s introduction pepped up the Offaly attack to a certain degree but even the introduction of the Tullamore player illustrated where Kevin Martin’s priorities lay - the player to make way was Joe Bergin, who even by the end of the game was the only Offaly player to score two points from play.
Offaly drew level when Dooley got a touch to Liam Langton’s high ball for the Faithful County’s second goal, but they just couldn’t get their noses in front.
James McNaughton came off the bench to strike two wonderful points for Antrim but the tie was still there to be won for both sides when Dooley struck his fifth point from a free at the end of normal time, making it 2-17 to 1-20.
Neal McManus edged Antrim back in front with a free and the tie was settled when Offaly pushed up in search of an equaliser and Antrim were able to send a long ball towards Nigel Elliot, who used the space close to goal to fire the ball to the net from twelve metres out.
A late Dooley free rounded off the scoring but didn’t take the gloss off a fine win for Antrim, who will be in fine fettle now in advance of their crucial relegation decider against Laois.
Offaly: Conor Slevin; Tom Spain, Dermot Shortt (0-01), Paddy Rigney; David King (0-01), Dan Doughan, Jordan Quinn; Damien Egan, Shane Kinsella; Ciarán Cleary, Cillian Kiely (0-02, 0-01 free), Peter Geraghty (1-01); Liam Langton (0-01), Joe Bergin (0-05, 0-02 frees, 0-01 ’65), James Gorman (0-01)
Subs: Ronan Hughes for Cleary (HT), Shane Dooley (1-06, 0-06 frees) for Bergin (HT), Sean Ryan for Kinsella (HT), Conor Mahon for Kiely (56), Thomas Geraghty for P Geraghty (62)
Antrim: Ryan Elliot; Aaron Graffin, John Dillon, Ryan McCambridge (0-01); Joe Maskey (0-02), Paddy Burke, Conor McKinley (0-01); Gerard Walsh, Eoghan Campbell (0-02); Conor Johnston (0-02), Neal McManus (0-07, 0-04 frees), Michael Armstrong (0-01); Donal McKinley (0-01), Conor McCann (0-02), Daniel McCloskey (1-00).
Subs: Stephen Rooney for Graffin (HT), Nigel Elliot (1-00) for Armstrong (40), David Kearney for Walsh (58), James McNaughton (0-02) for McKinley (62), Conor Carson for McCloskey (67)
