The Antrim manager had a spring in his step as he strode across the Corrigan sod following his side’s opening round win in the National League game on Sunday last.

Lenny Harbinson having taken the reins in charge of the Saffron’s for the first time is no stranger to success having taken St Gall’s to the very pinnacle in 2010 as he led them to Provincial and National titles.

He succeeded the Frank Fitzsimmons/Gearoid Adams management team in late 2017 following a spell in charge of Armagh based Ballymacnab and although well satisfied in that position Lenny said that ‘managing Antrim is the pinnacle’.

Antrim were fancied to get away on the positive in their opening game but nothing is ever easy at basement level ad as he paused a while in the shelter of the pavilion Lenny Harbinson was quick to pay tribute to the Corrigan sod which was in excellent condition following heavy overnight rain.

‘The pitch was excellent after so much rain, he said, and obviously that was testament to the huge effort put in by the St John’s personnel’.

‘We are delighted to get over the line with the points secured, he said, and would have been satisfied with a one or two point margin to get the points in the bag is the main thing’.

‘The panel have put in a massive effort over the past ten weeks, the manager continued, and it was great to see the things we have been working on in training bearing fruit out on the pitch. The team put in a massive effort in conditions far from ideal in that swirling wind and after holding firm against the elements in the opening period it was most important that we used the breeze wisely in the second 35 minutes and playing with intelligence and sticking firmly to the game plan was pleasing’.

‘We face another assignment of a different nature next week, Lenny Harbinson continued, with an away trip and a long journey to Waterford to contemplate, but we are really looking forward to it. We have four games away from home and are on a steep learning curve but we will try and use those trips away to our benefit as character building exercises, and in this division there are certain to be more than a few twists and turns on the way’.