The Leinster side held a six-point cushion – 1-3 to no score – after 12 minutes, Sean Gannon with the major, but the Saffrons reeled in the deficit after the break.

The visitors opened the scoring after five minutes through Gannon’s goal, the Éire Óg man palming to the net after Darragh O’Brien teed the ball up with a pass across the small square. Jordan Morrissey, Paul Broderick, and Ross Dunphy all added points from play before Antrim got on the scoresheet through a Paddy Cunningham free.

Broderick converted a free on 21 minutes to restore the six-point gap before Antrim finally got to grips with the strong crossfield breeze, Paddy McBride and Cunningham both raising flags from placed balls. Conor Murray completed the first half scoring to leave Antrim trailing at the break by 1-4 to 0-4.

Morrissey extended the Carlow lead after the break and by the 54th minute, four points still separated the sides after Cunningham and Darragh Foley swapped points. Five of the next six points went the way of the Saffrons, with sub Odhran Eastwood taking over free-taking duties.

Carlow sub Colm Hulton stopped the rot with his first touch of the game but Murray and Eastwood added points for Antrim to level matters at 0-11 to 1-8. Both sides had opportunities to grab a late winner but a draw was probably a fair result on the day.

Antrim: A Hasson; P Gallagher, R Johnston, M Gardiner; D Lynch (0-1), J McAuley, P Healy; C Duffin (0-1), M Jordan; D McAleese, P McBride (0-1f), N Delargy; P Cunningham (0-3f), R McCann, C Murray (0-2)

Subs: K Quinn for D McAleese (ht), C Small for P McBride (ht), O Eastwood (0-3f) for P Cunningham (51), M McCann for M Jordan (53), E Nagle for R McCann (65)

Carlow: R Sansom; L Roberts, S Redmond, J Moore; J Morrissey (0-2), R Walker, R Dunphy (0-1); J Murphy, S Murphy; S Gannon (1-0), D O’Brien, E Ruth; D Walshe, P Broderick (0-3, 2f), D Foley (0-1)

Subs: C Doyle for D Walshe (51), C Hulton (0-1) for R Walker (60), L Walker for D Foley (65), D St Ledger for P Broderick (71)

Referee: C Doureen (Cavan)