Allianz Hurling League Division 2A: Antrim 0-20 London 0-13
A STRONG second-half performance saw Antrim get their Allianz Hurling League 2A campaign off to a winning start against London at a cold and windy Corrigan Park in west Belfast yesterday.
Playing with the elements in their favour, the hosts led by just three at the turnaround having hit 11 wides in the opening half, but they took full control after the break to pull away from the visitors.
"In the first half I thought we were very lethargic and we told them that at half-time," said Antrim manager, Dominic McKinley after.
"The second half we started the way we should have with a lot of energy and closing people down with a lot of aggression and I think we took control of the game.
"We would be disappointed with the first half and the amount of wides we had.
"They were taking shots from places where they shouldn't be shooting and that was something we were focussing on.
"But in the second half we were much better.
"Paul Shiels I thought was very good, the half backs came into it a lot more and started to drive forward.
"It wasn't ideal with the breeze, but a county hurler should be able to deal with that."
Antrim opened the game brightly with early scores from Ciaran Clarke and the industrious Conor McCann.
But London were soon into their stride and could have had a goal on four minutes when full-forward, Tadgh Healy rose to take the ball but his kicked effort went wide under pressure.
They were level soon after with scores from Brian Regan and Adam Murphy, but a Niall McKenna score restored Antrim's lead.
London's half-backs were beginning to dominate as they launched a series of attacks which led to a couple of frees pointed by Stephen Bardon.
The hosts hit back with McKenna and Conor McKinley raising flags and they had a great chance for a goal on 17 minutes when McCann played in Conor Johnston who batted wide when under pressure.
Johnston did make amends towards the end of the half when he worked well to get space and score which helped Antrim into a 0-9 to 0-5 lead, but London were to have the final say of the half when goalkeeper, Eoin Kelly converted a long free.
With the wind behind them, The Exiles would have certainly fancied their chances in the second half, but Antrim came out much improved.
They outscored the visitors 0-7 to 0-1 in the third quarter with Ciaran Clarke was on-song from frees with Conor McCann and substitute, Deaghlan Murphy chipping in.
London were reliant on Bardon frees and another from Kelly to keep the scoreboard ticking over, but the hosts were pulling away and led by 10 with as many minutes left as Paul Shiels, Murphy and Clarke added points.
The game fizzled out in the final period although London did continue to chip away and added some fine scores from Paul Uniacke, Bardon and Conor Kerr, but Antrim were home and dry at this stage and deservedly collected the points to get their campaign off to a solid start.
"It's important to get off to a good start," agreed McKinley.
"We didn't want to look ahead, but I don't know what happened in the first half whether they thought they were expecting to win this.
"We said to them that this won't happen any more and that we are in 2A for a reason.
"We have to start working our way out of it and that is going to take a lot of effort.
"We were very happy with the first 20 minutes of the second half, the way we went at it, the use of the ball and the scoring.
"We will have to look at the first half because that wasn't good enough and we all know that."
Antrim: C O'Connell; S Rooney, J Dillon, Ciaran Johnston; S McCrory, O McFadden, C McKinley (0-2); E Campbell, D McKernan; P McGill, C McCann (0-3), N McKenna (0-2); C Clarke (0-9, 7 frees), P Shiels (0-1), Conor Johnston (0-1).
Subs: D Murphy (0-2) for D McKernan (46 mins), C Carson for P McGill (62 mins), T Coyle for P Shiels (62 mins), N McAuley for J Dillon (67 mins)
Lomdon: E Kelly (0-2 frees); T Lawrence, O Gately, M Conroy ; S Griffey, P Horkan, N Rogers; B Regan (0-1), E Cooney; O Sheil, S Bardon (0-7, 6 frees, 1 65), D Roberts; A Murphy (0-1), T Healy, S O'Donnell.
Subs: P Uniacke (0-1) for S Griffey (21 mins), A Griffiths for E Cooney (55 mins), J Kelly for T Lawrence (57 mins), C Kerr (0-1) for B Regan (61 mins), M Coady for O Shiel (68 mins)
Referee: Mick Murtagh (Westmeath)
Allianz: for more information visit www.allianz.ie
