Antrim 1-12 Limerick 0-23
Limerick earned their first win of the 2015 Allianz Hurling League Division 1B campaign by overcoming Antrim at Ballycastle.
The visitors made the better start in heavy conditions with points from Paul Browne and Shane Dowling, before well-taken scores from Paul Shiels and Mattie Donnelly had Antrim ahead.
Eoghan Campbell's superb goal gave the Saffrons the best possible start to the second half, however the Munster men outscored their opponents thereafter by 0-13 to 0-03.
Referee John Keenan had to throw in the sliotar on a number of occasions after it became buried in the soft Ballycastle surface. Three unanswered scores had Limerick 0-06 to 0-04 to the good on the 20-minute mark, with Seamus Hickey making a foray up-field to land his side’s sixth point.
Antrim battled back, restoring parity through Ciaran Johnston and Neal McAuley. There was a moment of controversy when umpires waived Donal O’Grady's 25th-minute effort wide, but referee Keenan overruled his officials to signal Limerick’s seventh score of the day.
The sides went score for score until the half-time whistle, with a Shiels free levelling the sides for the sixth time, however Paul Browne's second of the afternoon just before the break gave the Shannonsiders a 0-10 to 0-09 lead.
Within a minute of the restart, Antrim were back in the lead. Ciaran Clarke pulled the ball back to Eoghan Campbell after a mazy run to the end-line and the Cushendall clubman finished superbly past Nicky Quaid for a 1-09 to 0-10 scoreline.
The Saffrons held the advantage for just five minutes. Tom Condon, Browne and O'Grady split the posts to level matters and Wayne McNamara completed an unanswered run of four points for the visitors.
Limerick were beginning to find more space within the tight confines of the Ballycastle pitch and Condon added a brace to put three points between them.
Campbell and Shiels brought Antrim back to within a point in the 54th minute, but that was as good as it got for the Ulstermen who failed to raise another flag for the remainder of the game.
Dowling remained accurate from frees, while the impressive Cian Lynch tacked on his third of the day. Substitute John Fitzgibbon became the tenth Limerick scorer in injury-time.
Speaking after the game, Limerick boss TJ Ryan said: “The pitch was difficult, conditions were difficult and the trip is difficult so it's a good result and I’m very happy. The breeze was strong, the ball got stuck in the mud a number of times as well, it was difficult for the referee too and in fairness to the lads, their effort and attitude was excellent and I’m delighted with an eight-point win.
“Twenty-three points any day you go out is a good score. We would have been happy with that. Apart from the goal we conceded straight after half-time, we would be very happy.
“The show moves on, we have to go to Wexford in two weeks' time, which is another difficult trip. We're glad to have this one out of the way.”
ANTRIM: C O'Connell; R McCambridge, N McAuley, A Graffin; S McCrory (0-01), C McKinlay, M Bradley; N McManus, C Johnston (0-01); P Shiels (0-07, 0-05f), D McKernan, E Campbell (1-01); C Clarke (0-01), PJ O'Connell, M Donnelly (0-01).
Subs used: E McCloskey for McKernan (31 mins), C Carson for Donnelly (48), O McFadden for McManus (52), S McAfee for PJ O'Connell, D Hamill for Johnston (both 65).
LIMERICK: N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, S Hickey (0-01); T Condon (0-03), W McNamara (0-01), D Morrissey; S Ryan (0-01), P Browne (0-03); D Reidy (0-03), D O'Grady (0-02), C Lynch (0-03); T Morrissey, S Dowling (0-6, 0-06f), A Breen.
Subs used: S Tobin for Breen (48 mins), D Hannon for T Morrissey (59), C Allis for Condon (67), J Fitzgibbon (0-01) for O’Grady (69), S O’Brien for Browne (70).
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
