Antrim men grab good win at Instonians

Antrim Second XI, who won at Instonians Fourths on Friday night.

With an early 7pm push back this created a number of logistical problems for the squad.

Luckily the captain and vice-captain had for seen these problems and elected to meet even earlier taking into consideration the unsettled weather forecast and the possibility of traffic hold-ups.

As the rain lashed Antrim’s passing wasn’t just as sharp and their players were just holding on to the ball that little bit too long. In the 12th minute an Instonians’ player dispossessed an Antrim player on the twenty five. He cut into the D and slipped the ball to an unmarked player who had all the time in the world to pick his spot and fire the ball past an irate Antrim keeper!

Within minutes Antrim were on level terms when a flowing move instigated by Kernaghan saw a sweet reverse stick shot from Browlees hit the back of the net.

Young Ethan Creighton and Jack Morrison were creating havoc with their lightning speed allowing them to power away from their markers. An attempted clearance was blocked by Creighton which saw another sweeping move allow that man Kernaghan to set up Brownlees for a reverse stick tap-in.

Instonians then were unlucky not to equalise. A strong run saw one of the nippy Inst forwards brush aside two half hearted tackles which allowed the player to work the ball to the bye-line.

In the blink of an eye the player then cut back out where he was able to hit a ferocious reverse stick pile-driver.

Thankfully Campbell had read the danger and was in the right place at the right time to block the goal bound effort.

Antrim then won a penalty corner which saw the goal bound shot blocked illegally on the line. Neil McCullough confidently stepped forward to take the penalty flick but uncharacteristically fired wide to give the homsters a let-off!

Antrim scored a third in the secibd with McCullough blasting in a thunderous shot from a penalty corner award.

Minutes later Antrim added a fourth. A great move saw Brownlees pick up the ball ten yards inside the Instonians’ half.

He set off leaving three players in his wake before squaring the ball into space where Ethan Creighton ghosted in to score a great goal past the inform home keeper.

Just before the end the homsters scored from a penalty flick after an Antrim player illegally blocked goal bound effort.