20 April 2009
Antrim’s bid to qualify for the National Hurling League Division 2 final came up short when they were beaten by eight points by Offaly in the last game of the league campaign in Tullamore.
Antrim started brightly and matched their opponents for most of the first half, but a disasterous five minute spell before half-time when they conceded 2-2 without reply all but sunk their efforts.
With the freshening breeze at their backs in the second half they did make a bit of a fight of it and when they reduced the arrears to four points midway through the second-half that final place looked up for grabs again.
However they were found wanting when the pressure came on and the home side regained control to run out comfortable winners by 1-18 to 0-13.
Scorers -- Offaly: B Carroll 0-5 (1f), B Murphy, J Bergin 0-4 each, D Molloy 1-0, S Dooley 0-3 (3f), K Brady, C Parlon 0-1 each. Antrim: K Stewart 0-6 (4f), P McGill 0-2, B Herron, E McCloskey, S Delargy, J Scullion, M Herron 0-1 each.
OFFALY -- B Mullins; B O'Meara, P Cleay, M Verney; J Rigney, G Oakley, R Hanniffy; K Brady, B Murphy; B Carroll, J Brady, D Molloy; S Dooley, J Bergin, D Currams. Subs: S Wynne for O'Meara (28), C Parlon for Bergin (y/c 50), C Mahon for Molloy (y/c 57), C Coughlan for Dooley (70), M Egan for Currams (72), C Hernon for Verney (73).
ANTRIM -- C O'Connell; C McGourty, N McGarry, A Graffin; C Herron, C Donnelly, K McKeegan; B Herron, E McCloskey; K Stewart, N McManus, S Delargy; J Scullion, K Kelly, PJ O'Connell. Subs: P McGill for McManus (y/c 34), M Herron for McCloskey (44), S McNaughton for O'Connell (49), N McAuley for McGarry (y/c 60), D McKillop for Kelly (62), C McKinley for McGourty (y/c 73).
Ref -- S McMahon (Clare).
