ONCE AGAIN ANTRIM won respect. But once again they lost the game. After running Kilkenny close last weekend, they pushed Dublin all the way this afternoon, but in the end it was the Dubs who prevailed to record a four-point win, 2-19 to 2-15, over their Ulster rivals.
It was Dublin who started better, scoring five of the first six points before Neil McManus got the game’s opening goal on 13 minutes, when he raced onto Eoin Campbell’s pass before firing a brilliant shot into the net. Five Antrim points followed – indeed they led by three approaching half-time before Donal Burke netted a penalty for the Dubs.
Level at half-time – 1-8 apiece – Dublin opened up a four-point lead at the start of the second half, Rian McBride, John Bellew, Danny Sutcliffe among their scorers but with McManus also on song, getting a second goal via a penalty on 51 minutes, the game remained tense.
Paul Crummey eased Dublin concerns however with a 53rd minute goal. They stayed in front from there. Next up for Antrim is Waterford.
