Tailteann Cup semi-final

Antrim v Meath

2.00pm Sunday-Croke Park

Former Meath manager and now Antrim supremo, Andy McEntee will renew acquaintances with his former charges when the sides meet this Sunday in the Tailteann Cup semi-final at Croke Park.

McEntee managed Meath for six years before taking up the reigns in Antrim and I’m sure the Meath native will have mixed emotions about Sunday’s draw but I have no doubt he will be fully focused on getting the Saffrons their fifth win on the trot and a place in the Tailteann final.

After a slow start under McEntee’s tenure, Antrim have improved immeasurably and with a bit of luck might well have been in contention for the division 3 league title but conceded victory in a number of games they should have won.

None more so than their loss to Down in Newry where they deservedly led going into the final minutes but crumbled to a late onslaught from the Mourne men. If that defeat was hard to take then their loss to Fermanagh at Corrigan Park in Round 4 was even harder to fathom.

Antrim lost that one by a point after leading by 8 early in the second half with Down coming from five down to beat Antrim in Round 2.

The Saffrons simply couldn’t see games out when in winning positions and it was something that Andy McEntee and his backroom team had to work on as he continued his rebuilding job.

A meltdown in Mullingar had the Meath man scratching his head but there was no obvious answer to what had gone wrong but the visit of Cavan in the following round provided the perfect opportunity to put matters right.

Mickey Graham’s Cavan were firm favourites to win the division and so it proved to be but Antrim turned in a great performance that day to defeat the Breffni men and show just what they were capable of.

A first round defeat to Armagh in the Ulster Championship ensured that Antrim would be joining Sunday’s opponents in the Tailteann Cup with the Saffrons kicking their group campaign off with a home win over a Leitrim side that had defeated them in the first round knockout in the same competition in 2022.

Further wins away to Wexford and an excellent victory over Fermanagh in Armagh in Round 3 suggested that the Antrim project was now very much on course and earned the Saffrons a home draw against Carlow last Sunday which McEntee’s side won, but perhaps not as convincingly as they would have liked.

Dominic McEnhill kicked the Saffrons on after a slow start and a Ruairi McCann goal before the break ensured that Andy McEntee’s side held a 1-08-0-05 lead at the midway point.

Micky Bambrick shot low to the net to bring the visitors within four-points at 1-15-1-11 at a time when Antrim had lost two players to Black cards. The Saffrons pushed on to win by four in the end but that win came at a price.

Antrim lost Conor Stewart to a suspected cruciate injury and Dermott McAleese to an injury to his eye that affected his vision and both had to be replaced with Eunan Quinn coming in for Stewart and Joe Finnegan replacing McAleese.

News on the grapevine suggests that Dermott McAleese will be available for selection but the news isn’t so good for All Saints youngster Stewart who looks likely to be out for a considerable time.

The Antrim team is not likely to show too many changes to the one that defeated Carlow and who have performed so well in the Tailteann Cup.

Michael Byrne was replaced by Luke Mulholland in goals late in the game after going down with tight calves but should be OK as should captain, Peter Healey who left the field with a slight niggle.

Patrick McCormick, Eoin McCabe, Declan Lynch, Marc Jordan, Cathal Hynds, Ruairi Boyle, Adam Loughran, Ruairi McCann (Creggan) Paddy McBride, Dominic McEnhill and Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon) are all likely to start but at the time of writing the team had not been announced.

What of Meath?

Meath have been very impressive during this year’s Tailteann Cup campaign and will start Sunday’s semi-final as firm favourites.

James McEntee, nephew of Antrim manger, Andy McEntee and Jordan Morris dovetailed superbly as Tailteann Cup favourites Meath hit Wexford hard and early to wrap up their semi-final place at their ease.

Colm O’Rourke’s side burst out of the traps and ran up a 13-point lead with just 23 minutes on the clock, allowing them to cruise home to an eventual 17-point win.

McEntee and Morris led the early blitz and finished with six points apiece while Aaron Lynch netted in the 20th minute and substitute Cathal Hickey added a second major for the Royals in second-half stoppage time.

It’s Meath’s biggest win of the O’Rourke era and pairs them in a meeting with Antrim at Head Quarters on Sunday.

Meath v Wexford: Sean Brennan; Harry O’Higgins, Ronan Ryan, Adam O’Neill; Donal Keogan, Padraic Harnan, Sean Coffey; Jack Flynn, Conor Gray; Jack O’Connor, James McEntee, Cathal Hickey; Jordan Morris, Mathew Costello, Aaron Lynch.

Subs: Donal Lenihan for Lynch h/t, Dathi McGowan for McEntee 48, Ciaran Caulfield for Keogan 49, Cillian O’Sullivan for Flynn 51, Eoghan Frayne for O’Connor 59.

Scorers for Meath: Jordan Morris 0-6 (1m), James McEntee 0-6, Aaron Lynch 1-2, Mathew Costello 0-4 (2fs), Cathal Hickey 1-0, Daithi McGowan 0-3, Jack Flynn 0-1, Eoghan Frayne 0-1.

Antrim Have nothing to lose

Antrim will go into this semi-final as rank outsiders in many peoples book but Andy McEntee’s side have nothing to lose and I believe if they can produce their best form they have the ability to beat Meath.

A big Antrim support would certainly help the Saffron cause and the Saffron Gael will be there to capture the action and, hopefully the celebrations that follow.

We send Andy McEntee, his backroom team and Antrim our best wishes at Croke Park and look forward to Sunday’s encounter against his former side.

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