ANTRIM 1-17 DUBLIN 0-19
A Dublin collapse over the concluding 20 minutes of this All-Ireland SHC Phase 3 clash at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon sees the Glensmen progress to the last six of this summer’s championship.
A Karl Stewart point in the second minute of injury time eliminated the Dubs as Antrim were rewarded for greater determination and will to win when it mattered most.
With 50 minutes played the Dubs had a firm grip of the game and led 0-18 to 1-9 following a bright start to the second half which saw them add eight points to their half-time tally.
The Dublin attack at this stage looked quiet lively with Simon Lambert driving his side on from the middle of the park while at the other end the defence had been dealing capably with whatever Antrim could muster.
Then the change. Antrim kept battling to the finish and took over in the physical exchanges and began to cut into the deficit with the freetaking of Neil McManus accounting for four points going down the home straight.
Dublin, meanwhile, scored a solitary point – an Alan McCrabbe free (61st minute) – in the final 20 minutes of the game as they lead vanished.
Still heading into injury time Dublin led by a point before Shane McNaughton pointed a free from the Cusack Stand side to bring the sides level and with extra-time looking odds on Karl Stewart struck over the winner.
The sides had been level at half-time, 0-10 to 1-7, after a lacklustre opening half. The Antrim goal came in the eighth minute when a long delivery from Stewart was not dealt with by the Dublin defence and corner-forward PJ O’Connell nipped in to fire to the net.
That vital score gave Antrim an early advantage but thanks to the dominance of Joey Boland at centre-back and the accuracy of Peadar Carton and Alan McCrabbe from frees the Dubs gained parity by the interval.
