Allianz NFL Division 3
Antrim v Offaly
Corrigan Park-2-00pm Sunday
Antrim can make it two wins from two starts when they take on Offaly in Round 2 of the NFL at Corrigan Park on Sunday.
The Saffrons got off to a great start last week when they travelled to Limerick last Sunday and finished winners by seven points over the Treaty men in Rathkeale while Offaly fell to a strong Westmeath side by 0-10 to 1-11 in Tullamore.
Sunday’s opponents met at the same venue and in the same competition on the 29th January last year with the visitors emerging winners by six points in a game where the Saffrons simply took too long to get going.
Offaly led 1-8 to 0-4 at half time and Antrim were still trailing 1-11 to 0-6 after 48 minutes before staging a comeback which saw them kick five unanswered points through Ruairi McCann, 0-2, Ryan Murray 0-2 and James McAuley.
The Offaly goal led a charmed life after that with Patrick Finnegan denied what looked a certain goal by Rory Egan and Bernard Allen rubbed salt in the Antrim wounds with a late goal , much against the run of play.
Andy McEntee was in his early tenure as Antrim manager and endured a difficult league campaign with the Saffrons gaining only two wins to remain just above the relegation zone but it could have been much better.
Antrim lost by the minimum to Down in Newry and to Fermanagh at Corrigan Park and should have won both games.
The Saffrons have shown steady improvement under the Meath native and went on to reach the Tailteann Cup semi-final where they lost narrowly to McEntee’s former charges in Croke Park.
There have been quite a number of changes to the Antrim side from that meeting with Offaly back in early 2023 though the nucleus of the side remain with Mick Byrne, Declan Lynch, Dermot McAleese, Marc Jordan, Joe Finnegan, Paddy McBride, the two Ruairi McCann’s and Dominic McEnhill still remaining from the side who faced Offaly that day.
A number of others remain on the injured list with Conor Stewart, Kevin Small and Ryan Murray amongst those at various stages of recovery while a number of new faces have stepped up to the plate and performed well under McEntee’s guidance.
The return of Eunan Walsh to the number 3 shirt raised a few eyebrows as the Aghagallon man would have played most of his club and county football further out the field but Walsh’s pace and reading of the game has seen him adapt seamlessly to the new role.
Kavan Keenan of All Saints and Niall Burns from St. Galls made their National League debuts against Limerick last weekend while Eoin Hynds, Colm McLarnon and Cormac McGettigan all started against the Treaty side and performed well.
McEnhill is starting to show the form that has made him the go-to man at his club Rossa and contributed an impressive 1-5 at Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale while the returning Paddy McAleer and Dermot McAleese added a bit of experience to the Antrim side.
Ian Duffy, David Dempsey, Rory Eagan, Lee Pearson, Anton Sullivan and Nigel Dunne are just a few of the names that took part in that Offaly victory and will be hoping to get Offaly on the points board after that defeat to Westmeath last week.
Antrim performed well in Rathkeale and could have Cathal Hynes and Ruairi McCann back in contention for a starting birth on Sunday and can avenge last year’s defeat to make it two from two in their 2024 campaign.
