Antrim hold off Carlow to retain Leinster SHC spot

James McNaughton notched two of Antrim's goals as they preserved their Leinster Hurling Championship status for next year

Antrim will remain in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship as they found the goal touch to overcome 14-man Carlow 4-22 to 2-22 at Corrigan Park.

Conal Cunning and James McNaughon both netted twice for the Saffrons.

Carlow lost their first-half goalscorer Chris Nolan to a red card at the start of the second half as he was judged the main culprit in a dust-up that had broken up following the half-time whistle.

It was a tense afternoon in Belfast, but one in which Antrim would ultimately prevail and it was a vital win for their progress as the Barrowsiders make an unwanted return to the Joe McDonagh Cup.

Carlow enjoyed the better of it early on as Martin Kavanagh and Seaan Elliott traded points before the visitors rattled off the next three.

Antrim had the first sight of goal after five minutes as Cunning miscued when attempting a first-time pull, but there was no denying the Dunloy man three minutes later as he was played in by McNaughton and finished to the net.

But Carlow seemed to always have an answer as they gradually opened a gap with a goal three minutes later as Nolan's pace enabled him to break clear before finishing from a tight angle.

Nolan, Kavanagh, James Doyle and Conor Kehoe were all finding their range as they made the most of the wind advantage to help Carlow move five up.

Antrim were just not accurate at times but there was a sense they had the ability to create goals and their second came on 20 minutes as McNaughton found himself through to finish and bring his side to within two.

A third major came four minutes later from a penalty when Seaan Elliott was bundled over by Paul Doyle for what was deemed a goalscoring opportunity outside the area with Doyle also sin-binned with Cunning finishing the award to bring the game level.

Carlow again replied with three of the next four points as all six starting forwards had now registered, but Antrim finished the half well with a pair of Cunning frees and then Keelan Molloy clipped them into the lead for the first half in stoppage time as the Saffrons led 3-9 to 1-14.

Carlow suffered a huge blow at the start of the second half as goalscorer Chris Nolan was picked out as the main culprit in a coming together that had broken out between players following the half-time whistle

The coming together just at the short whistle would ultimately lead Nolan's red card at the start of the second half as Carlow's task got tougher, but early points from Kavanagh and Conor Kehoe got them ahead.

Antrim began to take charge again with Keelan Molloy, Niall O'Connor and Gerard Walsh finding their range from deep.

The gap was always four three or four as Carlow hung in and there with 15 to play, Ciaran Whelan blocked down O'Connor which would lead to a goal from Kavanagh who squeezed over the line to bring the sides level.

But Antrim hit back through Conor Boyd and then a goal of their own two minutes later as Seaan Elliott teed up McNaughton to crack home.

Carlow kept in touch through Kavanagh, but Antrim were finding the answers as they pulled away and saw it out to retain their top-tier championship status.