National Hurling League Division Two final: Antrim 3-17 Kerry 3-12: Antrim made up for last year's Division Two final defeat to Laois by overcoming the challenge of a resilient Kerry side at Croke Park yesterday.
Although Kerry were competitive throughout, they never really looked like catching the superior Antrim hurlers who led from the opening passage of play.
The Ulstermen shot out of the blocks to rack up 1-4 within eight minutes of the throw-in. Colm McGuickian powered home their first goal after Gregory O'Kane got a pass away despite the attention of two defenders.
Brian McFall added two more points, before Michael Slattery finally got his side off the mark. But it was the early inaccuracy of Shane Brick, from placed balls, that was hindering the Kerry challenge. But he did compensate for this with a well-taken goal after 18 minutes.
After that Antrim pulled clear, O'Kane combining with Liam Richmond to grab their second goal while McFall added three more points to leave them leading 2-11 to 1-4 at the interval.
In order to stay in the contest Kerry needed to make a bright start to the second period, and scores from Slattery, Shane Brick and a 60-yard strike from Billy Brick proved just the tonic. They further reduced the deficit with a goal moments later. Pat O'Connell dropped a free into the edge of the square and Slattery found possession and finished.
A litany of wides followed from the Kingdom as Antrim regained their composure to pull away once more, with wing back Ciaran Herron showing great balance to land a point.
Shane Brick rediscovered his deadball accuracy with four second-half frees, but Antrim's ability to instantly reply to these scores left Kerry needing goals to reduce the deficit. One did come when a Billy Brick run split the defence before he supplied Colm Harris who sent Shane Brick clear to score his second goal.
Yet this was Antrim's day. In injury-time Damian Quinn's shot was well saved by Kerry goalkeeper John Healy, before Slattery's follow-up nearly burst the net to reinforce their dominance and claim the divisional title.
ANTRIM: D Quinn; M Kettle, K Kelly, J Campbell; M McCambridge, K McKeegan, C Herron (0-1); C Cunning, J Connolly; A Mort, C McGuickian (1-3), L Richmond (0-2); P Richmond (1-2), G O'Kane (1-1), B McFall (0-7, 5f). Subs: P Close (0-1) for Mort (44 mins), S Delargy (0-1) for L Richmond (49 mins), M Herron for McKeegan (55 mins), D Quinn for O'Kane (62 mins).
KERRY: J Healy; H Twomey, M Lucid, I Brick; W Leen, J McCarthy, K O'Sullivan; B O'Sullivan, L Boyle; B Brick (0-3), S Brick (2-3, 3f), P O'Connell (0-2, 1f); M Slattery (1-3), M Murnane, M Conway. Subs: A Cronin for B O'Sullivan (26 mins), J Dooley (0-1) for Murnane (29 mins), C Harris for Boyle (40 mins), C Flaherty for Conway (57 mins).
Referee: Brian Kelly (Westmeath)
