Antrim hang tough to dig out sweet win over Wexford

A superb finish at Corrigan Park saw Antrim outlast Wexford to overhaul them and deservedly bank their first points of the Leinster SHC.

Considering last week's nightmare in Nowlan Park, few would have seen this result coming, but the difference in this performance was night and day as Darren Gleeson's charges responded in impressive fashion, fighting tooth and nail for everything, rolling with the punches, overcoming adversity and ultimately getting their reward.

Niall McKenna and Seaan Elliott bagged two goals in the space of three minutes to edge them ahead. They then held their nerve in stoppage time with Gerard Walsh, a colossus all afternoon on his first start of the year due to injury, converting a glorious sideline and Conal Cunning sealing it.

It was a day that few would have predicted due to Antrim's showing last week, but one they would have felt they had in them as Wexford were again caught late having been forced to settle for a draw against Dublin last week.

The lead see-sawed for most of the opening half as Lee Chin pointed early for Wexford and Antrim replied through James McNaughton and Gerard Walsh.

This would set the tone as the advantage changed seven times with Chin in fine form, aided by Cian Byrne and Cathal Dunbar getting on the board, while Cunning got into a groove from frees for Antrim as the Saffrons led 0-08 to 0-07.

Then came a huge moment on 27 minutes as a Chin free came back off the post and referee Colm Lyons spotted a pull on Conor McDonald, awarding Wexford a penalty that Chin buried.

Antrim responded well to get to within one point in stoppage time, but they were hit by a second goal and there was no debate about this one as Chin plucked Mark Fanning's long delivery from the sky, burst in