Tailteann Cup 2025: Antrim exit with preliminary quarter-final loss to five-goal Wexford

Antrim’s season ended in dismal fashion as they crashed out of the Tailteann Cup with a 5-23 to 2-21 defeat by Wexford in the preliminary quarter-finals.

Having narrowly earned a spot in the prelims as the third best of the third-placed teams in the round-robin stage, Andy McEntee’s side hoped to stage another stirring run through the knockout rounds after back-to-back semi-final appearances in 2023 and 2024.

But they were well beaten in Wexford Park as they were put to the sword by the Model County’s full-forward line of Sean Nolan (2-3), Ben Brosnan (1-2) and Jack Higgins (0-3).

Goals from Nolan and Brosnan, and a couple of Darragh Brooks two-pointers, helped Wexford establish a commanding 2-14 to 0-7 lead at the break.

And John Hegarty’s side pulled clear after the restart and led by 19 points when Nolan struck his second goal to put the Leinster county 3-20 to 0-10 up

To Antrim’s credit, they refused to give up. After Mark Rossiter raised the home side’s fourth green flag, quickfire goals by Patrick Finnegan and Dominic McEnhill and three two-pointers helped them reduce the deficit to eight points.

However, substitute Robbie Brooks added a fifth goal for Wexford to bring the curtain down on a disappointing year for Antrim, who were also relegated from Division Three.

Fermanagh, who qualified for the quarter-finals by topping their group, are the sole Ulster representation left in this year’s Tailteann Cup.