A big response from Antrim's hurlers was required and they delivered in impressive fashion with a 0-25 to 0-12 win over Carlow at Corrigan Park which boosts their prospects of remaining in Division 1B.
Following three defeats in their opening three games, including a disappointing reverse against new boys Kildare a fortnight ago, the pressure was on Davy Fitzgerald's side and they delivered to battle through and pull clear in the second half.
Seaan Elliott top-scored with nine points from play and frees, while his Dunloy club-mates were also in fine form as Conal Cunning hit five and Kellan Molloy contributed four points in a man-of-the-match display.
However, the tone was set defensively as Antrim battled and scrapped for everything on a day for rolling up the sleeves to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.
Defeat would have left the Saffrons in severe danger of the drop, but this win gives them a fighting chance of staying up with destiny firmly in their own hands.
"We knew as a team we had to get a result today and it was nice to finally get a win," Molloy told BBC Sport NI afterwards.
"We were down in the dumps for a couple of days after the Kildare game but there is no point dwelling on it. We had to reset and get a result today or we would have been in bother.
"We've two more games to come to get results and that is what we'll be aiming for."
Antrim push on after even start
It was an even start in Belfast with both sides trying to get to grips with heavy conditions as Antrim's Elliott and Carlow's Martin Kavanagh traded scores early.
The visitors got in front through Jack Treacy and Chris Nolan, but would fail to register for 16 minutes as Antrim began to get on top, winning a lot of the battles in defence and goalkeeper Cormac McFadden a steady presence.
Elliott, Cunning, Conor Johnston and Molloy helped them move three ahead, but Donagh Murphy could have wiped that out when through, but the Carlow centre-forward drilled too high.
Elliott and Niall O'Connor registered at the other end, yet the visitors would enjoy the better of it in the final five minutes of the opening half with four of five points, although the pick came from Antrim's Molloy when spinning and shooting out on the right as the Saffrons led 0-10 to 0-9 at the break.
Davy Fitzgerald's side kicked on superbly in the second period with Elliott, Cunning and Molloy again to the fore as the Saffrons hit four of the opening six points and they would then hold Carlow scoreless for 21 minutes.
In that time, the Ulster side gradually pulled away with Ruairi Donaghy and James McNaughton also getting in on the act before Kevin McDonald finally ended Carlow's barren spell with four to go.
By that stage, the result was all but secured as Antrim finished with a flourish as Stephen Rooney and substitute Eoin O'Neill also got their names on the board to round off a good day for the hosts, who will head into next Sunday's game against Dublin in Dunloy (14:00 GMT) with a spring in their step.
Carlow host Clare on Saturday (18:00) as they seek to bounce back, but the battle at the bottom of 1B now looks set to go to the wire over the remaining weeks.
In Division Two, Derry are also now seeking to avoid the drop following Sunday's 1-20 to 1-18 defeat by Meath in Trim.