Allianz National Football League Division 3
Antrim v Wicklow
Corrigan Park-Saturday 2-00pm
Antrim welcome Wicklow to Corrigan Park on Saturday hoping to get back to winning ways following their defeat to Limerick at the same venue a fortnight ago. These sides last met in October 2020 in Aughrim where the Saffrons shipped a heavy defeat which put paid to their promotion hopes that year.
The game came after another lockdown that certainly disrupted Antrim’s rhythm. The Saffrons travelled to the Leinster venue in a fairly healthy position, having recorded their best result for quite a while when they hammered league leaders Limerick in Portglenone prior to that shutdown.
Everything that could go wrong went wrong for Lenny Harbinson’s side that day with Antrim conceding 7 goals in what turned out to be a humiliating defeat from which they never really recovered.
Wicklow went on to claim one of the promotion places to division 3 and maintained their division 3 status last year while Antrim won promotion from division 4 last season under the new management team of Enda McGinley, Stephen O’Neill and Sean Kelly.
As we saw last day out, previous results count for little as Limerick put their 2020 defeat to Antrim behind them to claim both points in Belfast but hopefully that hammering in Aughrim will act as an extra spur to the Saffrons if such a spur is needed.
Both sides have rang the changes since that ill-fated encounter in Aughrim but quite a number from both sides still remain.
Oisin Kerr, Rickey Johnston, James McAuley, Peter Healey, Marc Jordan, Dermot McAleese, Tomas McCann, Conor Murray, Declan Lynch and Paddy McBride were in the starting line-up while Patrick McCormick saw action from the bench.
Lynch has been absent with a long term injury but all of the above will be in contention for a starting spot against Wicklow.
The Leinster men too have retained quite a number from that 2020 promotion winning side and Mark Jackson, Patrick O’Keane, Andy Maher, Niall Donnelly, Dean Healey, Mark Kenny, Dave Devereux and Eoin D’Arcy were in the side who drew with Fermanagh last day out.
Wicklow substitute Oisin McGraynor salvaged a point for the home side in a game dominated by a blustery wind in Aughrim that caused havoc for both sides over the course of the 70 minutes. With both teams badly needing a win after their opening day defeats to Westmeath and Antrim respectivly, it was wind-assisted Fermanagh who looked like they were in a very strong position when goals from Conall Jones and Sean Quigley helped them to a 2-4 to 0-2 lead at the break while they were also guilty of leaving at least two other goal chances behind them.
With manager, Colin Kelly springing Kevin Quinn off the bench after the break, it looked good for Fermanagh as they pushed ahead by 2-6 to 0-3 in the opening seven minutes as Wicklow really struggled to break down their disciplined defence.
But Dean Healy’s goal after 23 minutes gave the Garden County a massive boost and further points from Eoin D’Arcy, Healy and Andy Maher left the side’s level after 31 minutes.
Back came Fermanagh and a Gary McKenna point looked to have sealed a precious victory away from home but up stepped Oisin McGraynor with a late free to secure a share of the spoils for Colin Kelly’s men.
Antrim started their Division 3 campaign with a good win at Brewster Park but were opened up on a number of occasions but Fermanagh were unable to avail of the opportunities.
Limerick were more clynical when the opportunities came their way and slack defending saw Antrim concede two early goals to leave them with a mountain that they were unable to climb despite a strong second half rally.
Ryan Murray led that rally and contributed 0-5 while Michael McCann, Eoghan McCabe, Ruairi McCann, James Laverty, Jamie Gribbin, Paddy McAleer and Odhran Eastwood missed the Aughrim humiliation but have all figured in Antrim’s opening games this year.
It goes without saying that Antrim need to tighten up in defence but if they can correct the errors that led to those goals against Limerick then there is no reason why they can’t get back to winning ways.
In both games against Fermanagh and Limerick they have finished strongly and their fitness and intensity has been first class and if they can eliminate those lapses in concentration then they can get their promotion hopes back on track.