Antrim squeeze through to Tailteann Cup knockout stages
Antrim are through to the knockout phase of the Tailteann Cup after their eight-point win over London in Newry proved enough to secure one of the best third-place spots in the draw for the preliminary quarter-finals.
It was a close-run affair for three quarters of the match, but a black card for London's Matt Moynahan was a prelude to a run of 1-04 without reply.
That proved crucial. With Leitrim beating Tipperary in Group 1, it came down to scoring difference to see which of those teams advanced.
Antrim got off the mark with Ryan McQuillan kicking points off either foot, but London grew into it as Daniel Clarke pointed and, after a great save by Antrim goalkeeper Mick Byrne from Ciarán Diver, the ball came back to Joshua Obahor to level.
Diver edged his side into the lead before Conal Gallagher slung over the first two-pointer of the game, while Byrne was again called into action to save from Ruairi Rafferty with the subsequent '45' nailed by Sean Taylor.
McQuillan replied but Liam Gallagher sent over another two for London who were five points up before Antrim began to make some inroads with scores from Conor Stewart and Paddy McBride.
Diver and Shay Rafter restored the five-point gap, but after Stewart pulled one back, Antrim really ought to have had a goal in added time when London goalkeeper Andrew Walsh seemed to flp at the ball. Ryan Murray was twice denied the opportunity to turn home and London went into the break with a 0-10 to 0-06 advantage.
It was level within minutes of the restart as McBride and Dominic McEnhill landed two-pointers with the wind at their backs.
It remained tight, a Conor Hand two briefly giving Antrim the lead for the first time before Obahor levelled it again.
The sides remained level going into the final quarter when Antrim struck for home as points from Ada Loughran and Ryan Murray were followed by a Byne '45', which came after McEnhill's 56th-minute penalty was saved, Matt Moynahan getting sin-binned in the process.
By the time he returned, the game was beyond his team as Antrim had gone nine clear with substitute Niall Burns finding the net despite the best efforts of Sean Taylor.
Shay Rafter thumped to the net from a free in added time, which saw eyes divert to the Leitrim-Tipp score, but late points from Marc Jordan and Dominic McEnhill were enough to see Antrim home and into the knockout phase.
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-01 '45'); Eoghan McCabe, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; James McAuley, Dermot McAleese, Marc Jordan (0-01); Conor Hand (0-02, 1 tp), Conor Stewart (0-02); Ronan Boyle, Adam Loughran (0-01), Patrick McBride (0-03, 1 tp); Ryan McQuillan (0-04), Ryan Murray (0-01), Dominic McEnhill (0-06, 2 tp, 2f).
Subs: Niall Burns (1-01) for A Loughran (52), John Morgan for J McAuley (70+1), James McDonnell for R Boyle (70+1)
London: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Sean Taylor (0-01 '45'), Matt Moynahan; Eoin Walsh, Conal Gallagher (0-02, 1 tp), Kristian Healy; Tighe Barry, Liam Gallagher (0-02, 1 tp); Joshua Obahor (0-02), Daniel Clarke (0-01), Ciaran Diver (0-03); Ruairi Rafferty, Nathan McElwaine, Shay Rafter (1-02, 1-01f).
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