Wexford 2-15 Antrim 2-12Reaching an All-Ireland semi-final has rarely come with such a massive sigh of relief. For 65 minutes yesterday the Wexford hurlers saw their whole season flash before them - and probably their whole careers too - before finally they found the crack in the Antrim team that ended one of the finest underdog efforts Croke Park has ever witnessed. So in the end there was little Wexford celebration - only that feeling of relief.
Antrim had held an advantage of various sizes and despite missing two goal chances went into the break five points in front. Well into the second half their lead was not too far from comfortable; Wexford couldn't get closer than a point. Then, with exactly five minutes remaining, Paul Codd hit a decisive score, a free from some 20 metres out that shot straight into the net. Wexford were up 2-12 to 2-11, their first lead since those opening minutes.
Still it didn't spell death for Antrim, or an end to the tension. While Rory Jacob added what looked like the security point, Antrim replied with a Ciaran Herron free. Wexford were still flat out, and only the cool hands of Codd and substitute Barry Lambert eased them through.
For Antrim manager Dinny Cahill the final whistle must have brought real heartbreak. It was a game Antrim could, with a bit of luck, have won. The goal disallowed after two minutes because Brian McFall caught the ball in the square might well have slipped through on another day, and Liam Watson's goal effort after 13 minutes was denied only by the woodwork.
But much of the heartbreak comes from the knowledge that Antrim squandered so many chances and made too many errors. The 12 wides in the first half tell part of that story, and a more astute defence might have stopped Codd's effort that resulted in the decisive goal.
What is certain, though, is that Antrim now have real quality hurlers who can compete with the best. The half-back line of Michael McCambridge, Herron and particularly centre back Karl McKeegan hardly put a foot wrong. Corner backs Michael Kettle and Johnny Campbell also coped well.
There were a few problems at midfield, primarily because Rory McCarthy was enjoying one of his better days. Conor Cunning and Jim Connolly were retired early and that too contributed to Antrim's downfall.
Antrim were never short of scoring options, only accuracy. Liam Watson, who hit 1-6 against Tipperary in the corresponding game a year ago, never got his radar in order and McFall also struggled to convert chances.
For all those shortcomings, Antrim were well deserving of their 2-5 to 0-6 lead at the break. The two goals came in the final two minutes of the half, the first gifted by Wexford goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry after he failed to properly collect a Ciaran Herron 65 from the sideline.
The second goal also involved some uncertain defending: Declan Ruth misread a clearance, allowing Colm McGuckian sweep the ball to the net.
Wexford immediately shifted up a gear, however. McFall's free briefly put Antrim six points clear before Chris McGrath - almost out of desperation - followed through on a pass from Codd to claim Wexford's first goal.
Codd's free-taking then took on even greater importance, and he didn't disappoint. Rory Jacob too sent over the first of his two points from an impossible angle, a shot all the more remarkable considering some of the sitters he had missed in the first half.
Antrim though kept their lead intact, thanks mainly to four inch-perfect points from substitute Aidan Delargy, whose absence in the first half was somewhat mysterious. Yet all the while the tide was turning.
With Codd in such boiling form it was almost inevitable he would seek the net with one of his frees. He did so on 65 minutes and Wexford finally looked like winners.
And while Antrim might have left a great victory behind them, their future has seldom looked better.
WEXFORD: 1 D Fitzhenry; 17 C Kehoe, 4 D O'Connor, 2 D Guiney; 5 D Stamp, 6 D Ruth, 7 L Dunne; 8 R McCarthy (0-1), 9 L O'Gorman; 10 P Codd (1-7, 1-4 frees), 24 M Jordan, 12 M Jacob (0-1); 13 C McGrath (1-0), 14 L Murphy (0-3), 15 R Jacob (0-2). Subs: 23 B Lambert (0-1) for Jordan (54 mins), 22 T Mahon for O'Gorman (60 mins), K Rossiter for Kehoe (62 mins), 28 A O'Leary for McGrath (69 mins).
ANTRIM: 1 D Quinn; 2 M Kettle, 3 K Kelly, 4 J Campbell; 5 M McCambridge, 6 K McKeegan, 7 C Herron (1-2, one sideline, one free); 8 C Cunning, 9 J Connolly; 10 P Richmond, 11 C McGuckian (1-1), L Richmond (0-1); L Watson (0-1), G O'Kane (0-1), B McFall (0-2, one free). Subs: 21 A Delargy (0-4) for McFall (53 mins), 20 M Herron for Connolly (63 mins), 18 M Molloy for Cunning (67 mins).
Referee: P Horan (Offaly).
