Ryan McQuillan stars as Antrim edge Wexford

Ryan McQuillan shone as last year's semi-finalists Antrim edged Wexford at Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday to remain in the hunt for direct passage to the quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup.

The Saffrons face Sligo in a decisive closing Group 2 duel next weekend to determine the table-toppers, with both sides already assured of qualification.

Wexford, meanwhile, must bounce back against Tipperary if they are to have any hope of qualifying as one of the three third-placed teams with the best record.

The purple and gold were always in the hunt in here, but Antrim maintained an advantage from the eleventh minute after defenders Declan Lynch and Joseph Finnegan each pointed to generate a 1-2 to 0-03 lead.

Wexford, despite facing the breeze, settled with points from Darragh Lyons and Páraic Hughes inside three minutes.

But Antrim transformed things by 1-0 to 0-02 in the fourth minute when full-forward Ruairí McCann added to his double goal blast a week earlier against Tipperary when collecting a long delivery and outwitting his marker to shoot to the Clonard-end net.

While Seán Nolan tied matters from a free, Antrim poked holes in Wexford’s apparent containment strategy as Saffron defenders Declan Lynch, Joseph Finnegan, Niall Burns and captain Dermot McAleese had the visitors settling purposefully after eighteen minutes (1-04 to 0-03).

Wexford were struggling to knit anything meaningful together, but closed to 1-06 to 0-7 after 30 minutes with three additions from Seán Nolan (two frees) and one from Kevin O’Grady after full-back Gavin Sheehan burst forward.

However, after a Ryan McQuillan double boosted Antrim’s position after 34 minutes (1-08 to 0-07), Wexford were spared embarrassment when, with the Antrim 'keeper up-field,