Waterford add to Antrim’s misery with crushing defeat

Waterford 3-21 Antrim 1-10

Another crushing defeat for disillusioned Antrim, who once again demonstrated their frailty at this level when going down to Waterford in the Allianz NHL relegation game played on a sodden surface at Fraher Field yesterday.

Torrential rain left the original venue, Walsh Park, water-logged and hence the move to the Dungarvan venue.

Except for a brief spell in the opening quarter, Antrim served as mere whipping boys for a Waterford side playing at half pace.

Antrim’s fleeting moment of glory came in the seventh minute when a converted side-line cut from corner-forward Johnny Mackintosh earned them a two-pointer for the lead. Although Waterford, with two outstanding points from centre-forward Dan Shanahan, came back to level matters, Antrim snatched the lead again in the 20th minute when wing-forward Michael Herron blasted home a goal from a 25-metre free. However, Herron’s surprise strike merely served as a wake-up call. Straight from the puck-out, John Mullane gained possession to set up full-forward Séamus Prendergast for the equaliser. There and then the game died as a contest.

Upping the tempo, Waterford banged over seven points on the trot with some delightful scores from Paul Flynn, Dave Bennett, Eoin McGrath and Eoin Kelly to quickly stifle Antrim’s ambitions of causing an upset.

To add to Antrim’s woes, Waterford struck for a goal five minutes from the interval when Eoin McGrath ushered the ball over the line after brilliant goalkeeper Damien Quinn had magnificently saved from Paul Flynn. That left it 2-11 to 1-6 in favour of rampant Waterford at half-time.

On the resumption, Antrim huffed and puffed to no avail as Waterford continued to dominate and three lightning-fast points from John Mullane, Eoin McGrath and Paul Flynn left the visitors in dire straits.

By now it was a question of what Waterford’s final tally would be, even though Karl Stewart and centre-back Johnny Campbell pulled two points back for Antrim at the end of the third quarter.

With substitute Liam Lawlor excelling at left-half back, Bennett in control at midfield and Eoin Kelly displaying deft touches on the left flank of attack, Waterford polished off their opponents.

The points kept coming and a goal from Eoin Kelly minutes put the seal on Waterford’s runaway triumph.

Scorers: Waterford: E. McGrath 1-2, S. Prendergast 1-1, P. Flynn 0-7 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65), D. Bennett 0-3, J. Mullane 0-3, D. Shanahan 0-2, E. Kelly 0-2, A. Maloney 0-1. Antrim: M. Herron 1-3 (1-2 frees), J. McIntosh 0-3, C. McGuckian, K. Stewart, J. Campbell (free) B. McFall (free) 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: S. Brenner, T. Feeney, F. Hartley, D. Coffey, B. Phelan, J. Murray, B. Wall, A. Maloney, D. Bennett, J. Mullane, D. Shanahan, E. Kelly, E. McGrath, S. Prendergast, P. Flynn, subs. L. Lawlor for Wall, E. Rocket for Phelan, J. O’Leary for Feeney, P. Foley for Prendergast, J. Kennedy for Flynn.

ANTRIM: D. Quinn, M. Kettle, K. Kelly, C. Hamill, M. McCambridge, J. Campbell, G. Bell, G. Cunningham, M. Scullion, M. Herron, C. McGuckian, K. Stewart, J. McIntosh, M. McGill, B. Quinn, subs. P. Richmond for Cunningham, B. McFall for McCambridge, J. Scullion for McGuckian.

Referee: S. McMahon (Clare).