Cork 0-18
Antrim 1-12
CORK CLAIMED A hugely significant win in Division 1B of the hurling league today as they recovered from a four-point interval deficit to defeat Antrim.
The results means Cork were rewarded on their long trip north to Ballycastle and coupled with Limerick’s draw against Offaly, Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s side are in pole position ahead of the final round of games next Sunday.
If they win at home to Wexford in Páirc Uí Rinn, they will have secured a swift return to Division 1A after suffering relegation last spring.
Cork needed to work hard for victory today as it was the home side who were ahead by 1-9 to 0-8 at the break. The only goal of the game arrived from Antrim’s Matthew Donnelly on the stroke of half-time and Antrim, who led by 0-6 to 0-3 after 2o minutes, were four points to the good at the break.
But Cork slowly reeled their opponents in after half-time. Patrick Horgan’s freetaking was hugely impressive as he chalked up 0-11 overall with nine of those coming from placed balls. Conor Lehane grabbed 0-4 from play as well in another vital display.
Antrim were in front by 1-11 to 0-12 with ten minutes remaining but Horgan sent Cork narrowly in front with a series of points before Paul Shiels tied the teams once more with a point for Antrim.
Cork finished strongly with Horgan, Lehane and Patrick Cronin all raising white flags to secure their win.
CORK: D McCarthy; S McDonnell, E Keane, K Murphy; S White, C Joyce, W Egan; L McLoughlin, P Cronin (0-1); B Lawton, S Harnedy, D Kearney; P Horgan (0-11, 0-8f, 0-1 ’65′), C Lehane (0-4), B Hartnett (0-1).
Subs: C McCarthy for Harnedy, R O’Shea for McLoughlin, P Haughney (0-1) for Kearney, A Cadogan for White.
ANTRIM: C O’Connell; Ciaran Johnson, C McKinley, O McFadden; N McManus (0-2, 0-2f), N McAuley, E Campbell; Barry McFall (0-1), D Hamill; C Carson (0-2), S McAfee (0-4, 0-2f), C McCann; Conor Johnson, M Donnelly (1-1), PJ O’Connell.
Subs: S Beatty for McCann, J McGreevy for McFall, N Elliott for PJ O’Connell, P Shiels (0-2, 0-1f) for Hamill, D McKernan for McGreevy.
Referee: Eamonn Hassan (Derry)
