Tailteann Cup Quarter-Final
Antrim v Carlow
Sunday- 1.00pm Corrigan Park
The quarter-final draw for the Tailteann Cup has paired Antrim with old foes Carlow at Corrigan Park this Sunday and it is a game that the Saffrons should win. Carlow have proved to be a difficult opponent for Antrim in the past but the sides haven’t cross swords since 2020 in the NFL Division 4.
In 2018 the sides met at Corrigan Park in a game where Carlow created their own little bit of history by defeating Antrim to secure promotion to division 3 with Laoise, confining Antrim to another year in the basement division.
Carlow’s reign in division 3 lasted only one year and in 2019 they were relegated back to division 4 with Sligo and have remained there since. In 2023 the Leinster minnows won only 2 of their 7 games in division 4 against London and Waterford.
On paper then it looks like a very winnable game for Andy McEntee’s side but Antrim would be well advised not to take the visitors to Corrigan lightly.
Saturday’s opponents came to Corrigan that day back in 2018 needing a win to gain promotion for the first time in 33 years and in another tight contest they emerged victorious with a late Darragh Foley goal separating the sides at the end and heralding wild scenes of celebration at the final whistle.
Foley is still a prominent player in the Carlow attack and scored 0-7 in their win over New York last weekend to qualify for Sunday’s meeting in Belfast.
Carlow were relegated the following year and have remained in the basement division ever since but Antrim would do well to remember just how tough an opponent the Leinster side have been in the past and will need to be at their best to avoid a potential banana skin.
Carlow lost their first game in the Tailteann Cup Group stages to Limerick but recovered to defeat Longford and Wicklow with themselves and Limerick qualifying with 4 points but Limerick topped the group on the head to head between the two sides.
Antrim won their three games in the group stages with victories over Leitrim at home, Wexford away and a great win last day out against Ulster rivals, Fermanagh in Armagh to qualify automatically for a home quarter final draw.
Meanwhile Carlow, as runners up in their group were paired with New York in a preliminary quarter-final at Dr. Cullen Park and eventually emerged as winners but didn’t get it all their own way against the exiles
New York entered the competition at this stage under a previous agreement having played no qualifying games.
They had already enjoyed a historic season having won a Connacht Championship game for the first time when beating Leitrim on penalties.
Carlow were the favourites for this one but weren’t underestimating their American opposition.
And it was New York who started the match the stronger as they caused plenty of problem for a below-par home side.
New York took a two point lead into half-time but they could only then muster another two points in a second half that was dominated by Carlow.
The home side really stepped it up but didn’t take the lead until the 9th minute but were comfortable winners in the end.
Carlow scorer’s v New York
Darragh Foley 0- 7 (5f)
Colm Hulton 0-1
Conor Doyle 0-2
Ciaran Moran 0-1
Jordan Morrisey 0-1
Sean Bambrick 0-1
Conor Crowley 0-2
Andy McEntee’s Antrim have undergone a major overhaul since he took over at the start of the season and despite a mixed league campaign there has been a marked improvement since the Tailteann Cup got underway.
The Meath man has introduced a number of youngsters during the Tailteann campaign and all have acquitted themselves well.
Cormac McGettigan started at centre-half against Fermanagh with Glenravel’s Cathal Hynds lining out for the second game in succession at mid-field and Conor Johnston, Eunan Quinn and Oisin Doherty getting game time off the bench.
It is the more experienced players like Michael Byrne, Peter Healey, Marc Jordan, Conor Stewart, Adam Loughran, Paddy McBride, the returning Dermot McAleese and the two Ruairi McCann’s and Dominic McEnhill who have inspired this Tailteann Cup run however and who will be vital if Antrim are to progress to the semi-final come Sunday.
The Aghagallon McCann and his club Colleague, Adam Loughran have come up with important goals throughout the Talteann Cup campaign while Healey has been an inspirational captain. As you can see from our featured image above, Sunday’s lineout will show a lot of changes from that game back in 2018 but Healey is one of the Antrim survivors from that game.veAntrim will be confident going into this weekend’s meeting with an old foe who has presented plenty of problems in the past but if the Saffrons can come close to the levels of performance they displayed against Fermanagh then I would expect them to progress with something to spare.