Galway bounce back from Tipperary loss to hammer Antrim at Corrigan Park

NHL Division 1B: Antrim 1-13 Galway 2-35

Galway are back to winning ways in Division 1B as they romped to a 25-point win over an outmatched Antrim at Corrigan Park on Sunday.

Henry Shefflin’s men were looking for a response from their loss to Tipperary a fortnight ago and they got it with an early goal setting them on their way as they pulled clear by the break and piled on the agony for the hosts in the second half.

Evan Niland led the way with 13 points, while Jason Flynn struck goals in each half to cement their dominance. Tom Monaghan and Conor Cooney chipped in with 10 between them.

Antrim would have been keen to gain an early foothold, but instead they coughed up a cheap goal after just one minute as a slack pass was intercepted by Flynn in front of an open goal.

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The hosts, aided by a stiff wind, did settle and picked off some fine long-range points - a feature of their play in the opening period - through Eoghan Campbell and Rian McMullan.

At the other end, Evan Niland was beginning to tick as he began his run of eight first-half points from a free.

Galway were stretching their lead with a good spread of scorers with all six forward on the board by the break, while Antrim were to rely on those long-range efforts. Six wides also didn’t help their cause.

A run of four-in-a-row saw Galway stretch the gap to seven before Antrim got the goal they needed as Niall McKenna rose to fetch Scott Walsh’s delivery, popped to Joseph McLaughlin with the teenager burying his chance.

However, Antrim were unable to kick on from this with Galway and Niland in particular pouring on the points as they went in at the break with a 1-16 to 1-7 advantage.

Galway would turn on the afterburners early in the second period as after an early exchange of points, they would hit 15 and 0-6 either side of Antrim’s next score.

The goal would come in the 42nd minute and again it was Flynn who availed of the advantage as he steadied and cracked to the net.

The sting was long gone from this game with Galway pouring one the points as Conor Cooney and Tom Monaghan were prominent and substitutes Jamie Ryan ands John Cooney also chipped in.

Antrim did keep plugging, but the moments were fleeting as Galway romped over the line to claim an impressive win.

ANTRIM: T Smyth; P Duffin, R McCloskey, P Burke (0-2); N O’Connor (0-1), R McGarry (0-1), S Walsh; R McAteer, E Campbell (0-2); R McMullan (0-1), A O’Brien, N McKenna (0-1); C Cunning (0-2, one free), J McLaughlin (1-0), F McCurry.

Subs: E Trainor for R McAteer (45 mins), E Og McGarry for E Campbell (45), C McCann (0-2) for F McCurry (45), C McGarry (0-1) for A O’Brien (56), A Bradley for J McLaughlin (63)

GALWAY: D Fahy; D Morrissey, F Burke, P Mannion; A Tuohey, C Fahy, (0-2) Daithí Burke; David Burke, S Linnane (0-3); G Lee (0-1), T Monaghan (0-6), C Cooney (0-4); E Niland (0-13, 10 frees), C Whelan (0-2), J Flynn (2-1).

Subs: R Glennon for G Lee (52 mins), J Ryan (0-2) for C Whelan (52), D O’Shea for David Burke (54), C Mahoney for Daithí Burke (57), J Cooney (0-1) for C Cooney (58)

Referee: T Gleeson (Dublin)