Ruairí McCann on the double to fire Antrim past Wexford

A second-half double goal blast from full-forward Ruairí McCann propelled Andy McEntee's Antrim to successive opening Group 4 victories in the Tailteann Cup as Wexford suffered at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday.

The hosts, having drawn with Fermanagh in round one, led 0-11 to 0-09 at half-time but only after twice denying Antrim goals.

However, Aghagallon man McCann worked the magic in the 43rd and 45th minute to give Antrim a hold which they maintained to the finish in a 2-15 to 0-14 triumph.

Antrim now face off against neighbours Fermanagh in a fight for automatic passage to the quarter-finals, while Wexford seek victory against Leitrim to stay in the hunt to, at worst, advance as one of the three best-placed third teams.

Wexford sprung out of the traps against Antrim to lead 0-03 to 0-01 after four minutes, with defender-turned-attacker Páraic Hughes landing a neat brace.

However, the home net had a fortunate escape during that spell after a slick Antrim move culminated in Conor Stewart being thwarted by Eoin Porter's low intervention.

Dominic McEnhill shaved the gap to 0-03 to 0-02 from a sixth minute free.

But, despite injury robbing them of the impetus of Páraic Hughes, composed Wexford extended 0-09 to 0-04 clear after 23 minutes.

Kevin O’Grady sent over a couple of gems, while corner-back Michael Furlong also hit the scoresheet following a length-of-the-field surge from 'keeper Darragh Brooks, with Mark Rossiter (2) and Ben Brosnan (free) also contributing.

The assured free-taking of Antrim netminder Michael Byrne was keeping the Glen’s men in the fight, with his third conversion narrowing the gap to 0-09 to 0-05 on 25 minutes.

Wexford substitute Richie Waters responded to establish a double-scores gap.

But determined