NFL Division 4
Waterford v Antrim
1-00pm Dungarven
An improving Antrim make the trip to Waterford this weekend hoping to make it three wins on the bounce. Recent form would suggest that the Saffrons should be in the chase for a promotion place but a bad start to their campaign makes that highly unlikely.
Despite being relegated from division 3 last year, Antrim were expected to be in the race for an immediate return to the higher grade but they made a disastrous start to this year’s Division 4 league campaign, losing their opening three games.
Carlow, Tipperary and Longford have all lowered the Saffron colours with two of those defeats coming at Kelly Park in Portglenone as new manager, Mark Doran searched in vain for a winning formula.
He finally found it in Carrick on Shannon in Round 4 where Antrim produced a solid performance to overcome the challenge of a Leitrim team that had been going well and they carried that improved form into their meeting with Wicklow in Round 5.
That win over Oisin McConville’s Wicklow will have done the Saffron’s confidence a world of good and while the promotion ship looks to have sailed, Antrim will want to finish their campaign on a high.
They travel to Dungarven this weekend to face a Waterford side firmly nailed to the bottom of the table with the Deise still searching for their first win in this year’s division 4 campaign.
It has been a disastrous National Football League campaign for Ephie Fitzgerald’s Waterford as they were ripped apart by London last time out in a wind-assisted first-half, and although they worked hard in the second-half, the six-point winning margin at the finish was a fair reflection on the game.
Michael Maher’s London led Waterford by 13 points with half-time approaching, only for two late first-half goals by the visitors, leaving the home team looking anxiously over their shoulder.
The final margin of the Exiles’ victory over Waterford was six points, but it could quite easily have been more.
London took the game to Waterford in the second period into the wind rather than opting to protect their lead and with a touch more luck could easily have had another two or three goals.
Darach O’Cathasaigh, Conor Murray, Michael O’Brien, Darragh Walsh, Alan Dunwoody and Stephen Curry were best for Waterford in Ruislip and are likely to lead their challenge against Antrim on Sunday.
Dungarven has proved a successful venue for the Saffrons in the past and it was there that they clinched the division 4 title a few year’s back under Enda McGinley and manager, Mark Doran will be keen to build on their recent success.
John McNabb has been excellent for Antrim in goals and has weighed in with vital scores, contributing 0-5 against Wicklow last day out while Marc Jordan, Paddy McAleer, Conor Hand, Adam Loughran, Ryan McQuillan, Pat Shivers and Dominic McEnhill all weighed in with vital scores.
John Morgan and Cathal Hynds came into the starting line-up and both did enough to merit a start in Dungarven and I would expect the side to start along similar lines though Joe Finnegan could return after missing the Wicklow game through suspension.
A win for Antrim would make it three from three in their last three outings but they would do well not to underestimate a wounded Waterford side who may have nothing but pride to play for but will be keen not to finish their season pointless.
Division 4
| team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts |
| 1 Carlow | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 8 |
| 2 Longford | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 7 |
| 3 Tipperary | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 6 |
| 4 Wicklow | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 6 |
| 5 London | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | -6 | 5 |
| 6 Antrim | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -6 | 4 |
| 7 Leitrim | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -15 | 4 |
| 8 Waterford | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | -32 | 0 |
