Sport

Antrim promotion hopes over as Carlow win in Ballycastle

Antrim's Ciaran Clarke is put under pressure by Carlow's Diarmuid Byrne during Sunday's NHL game at Ballycastle <br />Picture by Seamus Loughran&nbsp;
Antrim's Ciaran Clarke is put under pressure by Carlow's Diarmuid Byrne during Sunday's NHL game at Ballycastle
Picture by Seamus Loughran 
Antrim's Ciaran Clarke is put under pressure by Carlow's Diarmuid Byrne during Sunday's NHL game at Ballycastle
Picture by Seamus Loughran 

ANTRIM went down to their second consecutive defeat in Division 2A on Sunday when they lost to promotion rivals Carlow in Ballycastle.

The Barrowsiders led by nine points at half-time and things didn’t get much better in the second period for the Saffrons as Carlow ran out winners on a scoreline of 1-17 to 1-11. While a James Connolly goal in the second-half gave Antrim a glimmer of hope, they were unable to reel Carlow in any further.

The Saffrons now have no prospect of reaching the Division 2A final, leaving next weekend's trip to face London in Ruislip effectively a dead rubber encounter.

SUNDAY’S NHL RESULTS

Division 1A


Galway 2-19 Tipperary 1-22; Waterford 0-14 Dublin 0-19

Division 1B


Wexford 3-11 Offaly 2-22; Clare 2-28 Kerry 1-9

Division 2A


Derry 0-13 London 0-16; Antrim 1-11 Carlow 1-17

Division 2B


Armagh 0-26 Meath 1-10; Mayo 0-13 Wicklow 2-13; Donegal 0-14 Down 3-22

Division 3A


Fingal 1-18 Monaghan 3-14; Louth 2-19 Tyrone 2-16

Division 3B


Fermanagh 3-17 Longford 3-13; Leitrim 3-15 Sligo 2-13