Antrim appeared to be coasting in the early stages after Kavan Keenan fired to the net just seconds after Tipperary’s Conor Sweeney fired a shot off the post with the goal at his mercy seconds at the other end. Two minutes later fellow full back Eunan Walsh also got forward and raised a green flag from close range.
The home side stretched their advantage to eight points but inspired by the brilliant Conor Sweeney, the Premier county battled back and had the gap down to a goal by half time, late replacement Sean O’Connor getting the Tipp goal.
Tipperary appeared to be in a good position as the turned to play with the fresh breeze, but once again Antrim were quick from the traps and a great three-man move was palmed to the net by full forward Ruairi McCann.
Two quick points from corner forward Ryan McQuillan and one by Conor Hand stretched the Antrim lead, and when McCann struck again on 50 minutes with his second goal, the only thing in question appeared to be the size of the winning margin.
However, Tipp hit back and held the hosts scoreless for the next 15 minutes when they hit 1-5 without reply, the goal coming from a Sweeney penalty.
Antrim steadied the ship with late points from substitutes Dominic McEnhill to put them four clear, but it still took a very good save with his feet from Antrim keeper Byrne to see the Saffrons home.
Antrim scorers: R McCann 2-0; E Walsh 1-0, K Keenan 1-0; R McQuillan 0-3; P McBride 0-2; R McCann 0-1, P McAleer 0-2, D McEnhill 0-2.
Tipperary scorers: C Sweeney 1-7 1-0 pen; 0-2f; P Feehan 1-0; S O’Connor 0-1; E Comerford 0-1 – 45; T Doyle 0-1; J Kennedy 0-1; D Brennan 0-1; C Cadell 0-1.
ANTRIM: M Byrne, D Lynch, E Walsh, K Keenan, N Burns, J Finnegan, D McAleese, P McAleer, C Hynds, C Hand, P McBride, R McCann (Creggan), R McQuillan, R McCann, Marc Jordan
TIPPERARY: E Comerford, T Condon, J Feehan, J Morris, M Stokes, P Feehan, T Doyle, S Grogan, C Kennedy, C Cadell, J Kennedy, P McGarry, S O’Connor, C Sweeney, S O’Brien.
,
