26 February 2011
Free-taker Paddy Cunningham top-scored with 0-09 as Antrim rallied to beat Meath at Casement Park tonight.
The Royals led by five points early on before the hosts hit back to take a 0-07 to 0-06 advantage into the second half.
But Meath were left short-handed by Brian Meade's dismissal, and Joe Sheridan missed a penalty.
Cunningham was the driving force for the Saffrons, with Meath's Thomas Walsh also seeing red late on.
It was Meath's second away defeat in this season's Allianz Football League, and a real shot in the arm for Antrim who lost to Kildare and Laois in recent weeks.
Injury-hit Antrim had Sean Burke back at midfield alongside his club-mate Kevin McGourty. Anto Healy took over from Colin Brady at right corner back.
The home side also made two late changes, with Aaron Douglas and Conor Murray added to the side.
Meath boss Seamus McEnaney went with an unchanged line-up from their first Division 2 win over Sligo, and it seemed to pay off as they broke ahead in the opening minutes in Belfast.
They led by 0-06 to 0-01 by the midpoint of the half, but the good work by Sheridan, Shane O'Rourke, Graham Reilly and Brian Farrell was soon undone.
Meath coughed up a couple of frees which Cunningham converted and Tony Scullion also got on the scoresheet for the Saffrons, who lost Justin Crozier to a leg injury.
The Royals, who beat Antrim in their most recent encounters in 2005 and 2007, had been reeled back in and were a point in arrears as the sides headed for the dressing rooms at the interval.
Wasteful Meath failed to score in the final 15 minutes of the opening half, and Meade's sending-off - after receiving his second yellow card - left them under increased pressure.
Cunningham missed a couple of kickable frees but soon found his range again and Kevin Niblock, Sean Burke and Terry O'Neill also chipped in with scores.
Antrim were four points to the good with three minutes remaining when Sheridan's penalty effort came back off a post. It was a frustrating finish for McEnaney's men who had Walsh sent-off on a straight red card.
The lead was cut to three points, but Liam Bradley's side managed to hold on despite losing Niblock and Kevin Brady to further injuries
