Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Mcmanus hero again for Antrim
Offaly 0-20 Antrim 2-14 BY KEVIN EGAN
OFFALY’S dreams of promotion from Division 2A of the Allianz NHL were snatched away thanks to a sensational Antrim finish that saw Neil Mcmanus and Conor Mccann hit their net with the last two attacks of the game in Tullamore.
The result means that Kerry will contest next week’s league final against Antrim, while Offaly are condemned to another year at this level despite appearing in total control for 76 minutes yesterday.
Playing with the wind, they started brilliantly and led by 0-8 to 0-1 after 10 minutes, before the game deteriorated into a very stop-start contest.
Neil Mcmanus kept Antrim in touch with a series of dead ball scores and at 0-13 to 0-9 behind at the break, they were well in touch.
Offaly’s defence was superb after half-time however. Ben Conneely, David O’toole Greene and Dan Doughan controlled the Antrim puckout while David Nally, Peter Geraghty and Seán Cleary picked off points from play to help the home side move six points clear.
Even though they missed a string of chances, nobody expected the late drama.
A moment of brilliance from Mcmanus to halve the gap seemed too little too late. At the end of the signalled six minutes of added on time, play was allowed to continue and once Antrim won the next puckout, they sent one last ball into the Offaly goalmouth from which Mccann slammed in an equalising goal. SCORERS - Offaly: E Cahill 0-11 (0-7f, 0-1 sideline), P Geraghty (0-1 sideline) & D Nally 0-3 each, B Murphy, S Cleary & B Watkins 0-1 each. Antrim: N Mcmanus 1-13 (0-10f, 0-1 ’65), C Mccann 1-0, C Johnson 0-1.