Leinster Hurling championship: Lee Chin returns as Wexford hold off Antrim

Wexford captain Lee Chin struck 0-8 on his return from injury

Wexford inflicted a 1-30 to 1-26 defeat on Antrim in the Leinster Hurling Championship at Wexford Park.

James McNaughton's opening goal was cancelled out by Cathal Dunbar as Wexford led 1-19 to 1-10 at half-time.

Antrim came out firing in the second half but Wexford made the most of their hard-earned buffer to see out the win.

The Saffrons missed a number of goal chances as Darren Gleeson's men slipped to their first defeat of the Championship.

Wexford picked up their first win of the Championship while Antrim still wait for their first victory after drawing with Dublin in their opener.

The hosts came out firing early in the first half and raced into a three-point lead but Antrim stayed in touch and levelled the game on nine minutes when McNaughton fired home beyond James Lawlor in the Wexford goal.

However, that was short lived as Rory O'Connor, Dunbar and two scores from Jack O'Connor restored Wexford's lead.

Dunbar and Rory O'Connor linked up well to fire the hosts further clear as the former shot beyond Antrim goalkeeper Ryan Elliott.

Wexford captain Lee Chin struck three first-half points on his return from injury and the in-form Conal Cunning's five points stopped Antrim going in further behind at the break.

Rian McMullan was one of a number of players introduced by Gleeson in the first half and the replacement had a good effort saved by Lawlor late in the closing stages of the opening half.

Neil McManus got Antrim up and running early in the second half but Wexford made the most of their advantage and were able to keep the Saffrons at arm's length.

The rain started to filter down and, even though Wexford cancelled out every Antrim score, the visitors almost set up a grandstand finish when Lawlor denied Keelan Molloy with a superb save to keep six points between the sides.

Cunning, who ended up with 13 points, split the posts to reduce the margin to five with as many minutes to play, but Rory O'Connor restored the two-goal margin heading into injury-time.

Antrim closed again but Richie Lawlor's score halted any momentum as Darragh Egan's side held on for a four-point victory.