GAELIC GAMES/NHL, Antrim 1013 Dublin 0-12:The first thing the Dublin hurlers did on their arrival at Casement Park yesterday evening was check the pitch for banana skins. They then started into a vigorous warm-up, neither of which could prevent them from slipping up on their way to making the play-offs of the Allianz Hurling League, writes Ian O'Riordanat Casement Park
After the surprising results to date - wins over Galway and Limerick, a draw with Kilkenny - they needed to beat Antrim to progress. This time Dublin were the ones surprised, as Antrim proved far more troublesome than expected and, in the end, fully deserved their four-point win, and first victory of this league season.
This all throws Division 1B wide open again, and Dublin now need to beat Tipperary in Nenagh next Sunday to save their place in the play-offs. A win here might even have meant bypassing the quarter-finals as winners of the group, but instead Dublin will now do very well to get that far.
It was a disappointing performance for Dublin, not just after the highs of recent weeks. They fell back into many of their old habits - slack marking, poor first touch, and repeatedly giving the ball away. There was an overall lethargy throughout the Dublin team and Antrim soon sensed that, visibly growing in confidence and determination as the game progressed.
On a fine, still evening in Belfast, with a fine crowd too, the floodlights were hardly necessary until well into the first half. Things weren't long heating up either as it was clear Antrim were going to make Dublin work for every ball. Dublin started well, with Kevin O'Reilly picking up where he left off against Limerick on Sunday by hitting two excellent frees.
Yet that was the only stage of the game Dublin came close to dominating. Antrim drew level on eight minutes, and gradually eased themselves in front through the free-taking of Brian McFall and two fine points from Neil McManus They weren't playing pretty, but they were playing hard.
Dublin's response was slow, and perhaps the challenge of a second hard game within four days was taking its toll. Still, they drew level for the third time on 30 minutes with a score from Pádraig O'Driscoll followed by a third free for O'Reilly, but Antrim weren't done fighting for the half-time lead just yet, finishing up with their first goal of their league campaign.
It wasn't entirely unexpected as Antrim went hunting for it on several occasions. McFall had possession in front on goal, and that ball was flicked out to Karl Stewart, who had the first shot, before McManus fired again at the goalmouth. Stephen Hiney managed to clear that one off the line, but McManus made no mistake with the rebound, and Antrim were up 1-6 to 0-6 going in for the break.
Still the hope was Dublin could raise their game in the second half, and the notable Dublin contingent at Casement Park certainly made their presence felt. For a variety of reasons it just didn't happen. Dublin's midfield failed to get any grip on possession, and the sort of quality ball going into the forwards in recent games never materialised.
Antrim found possession almost at will. Crucially they hit the opening two scores of the half, another fine point from McManus and a free for McFall. Dublin were suddenly down by five points, and the fighting spirit they showed against Galway 10 days ago was also missing on the night.
Manager Tommy Naughton didn't delay in making the changes, with Peadar Carton, Keith Dunne and Aodan de Paor all introduced. That briefly worked when points from O'Reilly and Dunne brought Dublin back to within three points.
Antrim responded with two points, Paul Shields taking a nice pass from Paddy Richmond, before McFall's first from play restored their lead to five points.
Dublin didn't give up the fight, and got it back to two points again thanks mainly to the sharp-shooting of O'Reilly, who added two more frees and a brilliant sideline.
That was as close as they got, as two late frees for substitute John McIntosh decided the result in Antrim's favour.
One interested observer was Tipperary manager Michael "Babs" Keating, who must have enjoyed what he saw, knowing that Dublin suddenly don't appear quite so daunting opposition for the crucial showdown on Sunday.
ANTRIM:R McGarry; B McAuley, M McCambridge, S Delargy; M Molloy, J Campbell, C Herron; B Herron, K McKeegan; M Herron (0-1), N McManus (1-3), K Stewart; B McFall (0-5, four frees), P Richmond, P Shields (0-2). Subs: N McAuley for Stewart (half time), J McIntosh (0-2, both frees) for McFall (62 mins).
DUBLIN:G Maguire; P Brennan, S Hiney, T Brady; M Carton, R Fallon, D O'Reilly; J Boland, G O'Meara; T Moore, D Qualter, J Kelly; K O'Reilly (0-8, five frees, one sideline), P O'Driscoll (0-1), K Flynn (0-1). Subs: G Bennett for Brennan (10 mins), K Dunne (0-2) for Moore (half time), P Carton for Qualter (45 mins), A de Paor for O'Meara (50 mins).
Referee:G Devlin (Armagh).
Division One B
P W D L F A PD Pts
Galway4 3 0 1 4-76 6-41 +29 6
Kilkenny4 2 1 1 6-70 5-49 +24 5
Dublin4 2 1 1 4-52 3-45 +2 5
Tipperary4 2 0 2 7-53 4-60 +2 4
Limerick4 1 0 3 4-49 2-72 -17 2
Antrim4 1 0 3 1-44 6-69 -40 2
