Antrim vs Down (Sunday, 2pm, Corrigan Park)
Antrim star Ruairi McCann says it is important to try and lay down a marker this weekend ahead of their Ulster Championship quarter-final clash with Down.
The two sides meet this weekend in a dress rehearsal for April’s meeting at Páirc Esler, but Antrim will have home advantage on Sunday when they welcome Conor Laverty’s men to Corrigan Park with two League points on offer.
Both teams are two from two in Division Three this season along with Westmeath as the battle for promotion moves up a notch in round three.
“In terms of the Ulster Championship, you are always trying to gain an advantage on your opponent,” said the Creggan man.
“Given the fact that we play each other in a couple of months time in the Championship, you’d certainly want to be putting your best foot forward.
“It would be great to be approaching that Championship game with some sort of an advantage.
“For us, we can’t look that far ahead. Down in seven or eight weeks isn’t our concern at the moment, we just have to look ahead to this weekend.”
Down edged a thrilling 2-18 to 2-17 Division Three tie in Newry in last season’s National Football League after Antrim led by five points with five minutes of normal time remaining.
Two goals from McCann’s namesake from Aghagallon gave Antrim the perfect start to the game as they led 2-8 to 1-9 at half-time, but a Conor Poland goal and two stoppage-time points from Pat Havern and Andrew Gilmore saw Down claim the spoils.
“It was definitely one that got anyway from us last year,” added McCann.
“We were ahead in the last few minutes of the game and it went back and forth a bit. We were very disappointed not to come away with the points from that game.
“Down are probably the favourites for promotion and rightfully so. They were unlucky not to get promoted last year and it is going to be a massive challenge for us with a team like Down coming to Corrigan Park.
“In recent times, nearly all the games we’ve played against them have all been in Páirc Esler so it will bring a different dynamic playing the game in Belfast.”
Antrim remain without several key players including Ryan Murray, Patrick Finnegan and Conor Stewart while Conor Hand is suspended following his red card against Offaly.
Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon), Peter Healy, Eoghan McCabe and Adam Loughran have also yet to feature for the Saffrons this season.
Antrim boss Andy McEntee has brought in a host of fresh talent and they’ve delivered back-to-back wins against Limerick and Offaly and McCann said it bodes well for the future when they return to full strength.
“Over the last two years we’ve had a wrath of players who’ve come in and blooded in well,” said McCann.
“In the last few games, we’ve had more new faces that have come in and played particularly well.
“In any scenario, you want to have your best hand to choose from and having players out with ACL injuries and other long-term rehabs isn’t ideal and you’d rather be with them than without them.
“We know there’s a serious depth to our squad and we’re confident in the boys we have and of the boys we have to come back as well.”
