Tailteann Cup Group Four

Antrim 2-15 Wexford 0-14

By Ronan Fagan at Chadwicks Wexford Park

Ruairí McCann stung Wexford for two second-half goals as Antrim maintained their perfect start to Group Four of the Tailteann Cup after Saturday’s long journey to Chadwicks Wexford Park.

Wexford led 0-11 to 0-9 at half-time having twice led by five points, although they also had to twice cut out dangerous Antrim goal threats.

And the visitors stung them for 43rd and 45th minute goals through full-forward McCann to seize control by 2-9 to 0-11 and head into a closing derby against Fermanagh seeking automatic passage to the quarter-finals.

Wexford, having drawn with Fermanagh in round one, must beat Leitrim to have any hope of even qualifying as one of the best-placed third teams.

With the versatile Páraic Hughes producing a couple of early gems, the home-side eased 0-3 to 0-1 clear inside four minutes.

But Wexford were lucky not to ship a goal during that spell as Eoin Porter produced an outstanding block to deny Conor Stewart at the end of a slick Antrim surge.

Dominic McEnhill pegged it back to 0-3 to 0-2 before Wexford, despite losing the instrumental Hughes to injury, claimed six of the next eight points to assume a comfortable position.

The highlight of the home surge was ‘keeper Darragh Brooks breaking the length of the field to ultimately help feed corner-back Michael Furlong to bisect the uprights, while doubles from Mark Rossiter and Kevin O’Grady, and a Ben Brosnan free had John Hegarty’s charges in fine fettle (0-9 to 0-4).

However, Antrim were snapping at their heels, and the assured placed-ball shooting of ‘keeper Michael Byrne narrowed the margin to 0-9 to 0-5 after 25 minutes.

Wexford substitute Richie Waters responded to establish a double-scores gap.

But Antrim determinedly clawed back to within 0-11 to 0-9 at half-time having again gone close to netting, when Wexford ‘keeper Brooks diverted a close-range drive from Patrick McBride at the expense of a ’45 in the 31st minute.

Netminder Byrne slotted over that dead-ball before Patrick Finnegan and Dominic McEnhill (two) whittled the gap down to two points at the turn.

Antrim really turned the screw when, with Wexford having resumed with three quick wides, the two Ruairí McCanns combined to floor the hosts.

The first punch was dealt in the 43rd minute after the Ruairí McCann at full-forward – from the Aghagallon club – elected not to take a mark after a sublime pass from his namesake and transformed matters by 1-9 to 0-11.

Wexford were still only picking up the pieces when the Antrim number 14 delivered a telling blow from a quality assist by defender Patrick McCormick to blast open a 2-9 to 0-11 margin on 45 minutes.

Wexford struggled to make any meaningful impression thereafter, and were in fact outscored 0-6 to 0-3 for the remainder having lost defender Conor Carty to a dismissal in the 51st minute, after a black-card offence followed an earlier yellow.

Scorers for Antrim: Ruairí McCann (Aghgallon, 2-0), Dominic McEnhill 0-6 (1 free, 1 mark), Michael Byrne 0-5 (3 frees, 2 ‘45s), Patrick Finnegan 0-2, Marc Jordan, Conor Stewart 0-1 each.

Scorers for Wexford: Páraic Hughes, Mark Rossiter, Kevin O’Grady, Ben Brosnan (one free), Darragh Brooks (free, ‘45) 0-2 each, Liam Coleman, Michael Furlong, Richie Waters, Eoghan Nolan 0-1 each.

Antrim: Michael Byrne; Ronan Boyle, Peter Healy, Patrick McCormick; Patrick McBride, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Cathal Hynds, Conor Stewart; Patrick Finnegan, Adam Loughran, Ruairí McCann (Kickham’s Creggan); Marc Jordan, Ruairí McCann (Aghagallon), Dominic McEnhill.

Subs: Declan Lynch for Healy (59), Odhran Eastwood for Loughran (66), Oisín Doherty for P. Finnegan (68), Barry McCormick for J. Finnegan (68), Calum Higgins for McAleese (70). 

Wexford: Darragh Brooks; Conor Carty, Niall Hughes, Michael Furlong; Brian Molloy, Glen Malone, Eoin Porter; Cathal Walsh, Liam Coleman; Páraic Hughes, Eoghan Nolan, Kevin O’Grady; Robbie Brooks, Mark Rossiter, Ben Brosnan.

Subs: Richie Waters for P. Hughes, inj. (13), John Tubritt for R. Brooks (50), Conor Kinsella for Brosnan (50), Darragh Lyons for Walsh (55), Seán Nolan for Waters (61).

Referee: David Murnane (Cork).