Antrim ease relegation fears by hammering Laois

BBC News

09-03-2025

Antrim took a potentially decisive step to retaining their Division 1B status in the Allianz Hurling League by hammering fellow strugglers Laois 4-22 to 0-21 at a sunny Corrigan Park. Defeat in their final game would have ensured the drop to Division Two for the Saffrons but instead Laois now need the unlikely prospect of two home wins over Carlow and Dublin to relegate Davy Fitzgerald's side. On the basis of Laois' performance in Belfast, that turn of events looks extremely unlikely. While it was a strong team performance by Antrim, James McNaughton's display stood out as he notched exactly half of their total by scoring 2-11.However, the Saffrons had stars all over the pitch with Eoghan Campbell impressing in his more advanced role as youngster Cormac McKeown, Gerard Walsh, Conor Johnston and Joe Maskey were among others to impress. Laois never looked like getting back into the contest but Antrim keeper Ryan Elliott still made three superb saves - including a late magnificent stop to turn a Mark Dowling piledriver over the bar. Antrim needed to make a fast start and that's exactly what happened as two Walsh points and a McNaughton brace moved them into a 0-6 to 0-1 lead before the Loughgiel man blasted in the first of his two goals. Laois briefly threatened to get back in touch as they cut the margin to 1-6 to 0-4 but the Saffrons regained control to move 2-12 to 0-7 up with Campbell's unselfish pass setting up Johnston to fire past Cathal McDunne. By half-time, Antrim's lead was 2-15 to 0-8 and while Laois were going to the benefit of a slight breeze in the second period, the game was already beyond them. After trailing by 13 at the break, Laois never got closer than nine in arrears in the second half. That was when Aaron Dunphy hit his eighth point in the 65th minute to cut Antrim's lead to 2-20 to 0-17 but the home side side finished with a flourish as McNaughton hit his second goal before Keelan Molloy added a further major.