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Antrim in shock Westmeath defeat

Westmeath 0-14 Antrim 0-12

Published Saturday, 19 May 2012

Antrim's hurlers crashed out of the Leinster Hurling Championship after suffering a shock defeat to fourteen-man Westmeath on Saturday.

Westmeath's Aonghus Clarke and Neil McManus of Antrim (© Presseye)

The Saffrons went down by 0-14 to 0-12 in Mullingar after surrendering a five point half-time lead.

Three points apiece from Shane McNaughton and Liam Watson had put the Antrim ahead by 0-8 to 0-2 at the interval, and the Ulster side's cause was further helped by the dismissal of Conor Jordan five minutes before half time.

However, Westmeath regrouped superbly after the restart, with Niall O'Brien hitting a succession of scores to help earn his side the victory.

They set up a Leinster SHC quarter-final clash with Galway after turning the game around with an inspired second-half performance.

Antrim must now regroup ahead of the All-Ireland qualifiers in July.

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Comments

3 Comments

Jim in Belfast wrote (393 days ago):

The difference in Antrim and the likes of Kilkenny, Tipp or Cork is the game has been underfunded for years in the north. There's also the City element that spoils the young player. In Tipp or Kilkenny hurling is nearly a religion in itself. In Antrim you will see most of the team squad in the boozer on a Saturday night.

Andy in Co Down wrote (394 days ago):

I think hurling across the province needs to be examined to encourage participation and greater competition with the stronger counties. The Ulster and Connacht Championships are so unbelievably onesided that there's no interest generated. In Co Down the county side mainly comprises of players from the three clubs on the Ards peninsula while South Down side play 'B' grade hurling in the lowest division of the NHL. The Ulster Council needs to do more to promote and nuture hurling in the province so counties in the province can be a force to be reckoned with. No disrespect to Westmeath, they defeated Antrim but they're not exactly cream of the crop in Leinster.

John in belfast wrote (395 days ago):

Antrim may have the best hurlers in Ulster but they are minnows compared to Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork, Clare, Galway etc. Get some top class coaches into the county.