Antrim GAA have announced this morning the appointment of Michael McShane as the new senior hurling manager for the coming season.  It’s an appointment that probably had an air of inevitability to it and won’t come as a surprise to many but following the application process, the following statement was released this morning:

Statement – Antrim GAA, 17th July 2026 

Antrim GAA Management Committee confirm the appointment of Michael McShane as incoming senior hurling manager, following a thorough recruitment process. That recommendation will go to County Committee at the beginning of next week for ratification.

 
Michael McShane, from McQuillian’s, Ballycastle, has managed Antrim U20 hurlers for the last two seasons and previously managed Tyrone senior hurlers, Slaughtneil and also his home club. 

Antrim Chairman Seamus McMullan welcomed the appointment.

“Michael brings a wealth of experience to the role, along with an extensive knowledge of Antrim hurling. We are an ambitious hurling county, and that ambition is shared by Michael and his incoming management team.

Everyone across Antrim will wish them well, and when the competitions begin in 2027, the county will be fully behind our players and management.

I also want to thank the selection committee for overseeing a diligent, thorough, and professional appointment process.”

McShane’s appointment as U20 manager was seen by many as succession planning.  After the turbulent end to Davy Fitzgerald’s time with the Saffrons, perhaps the Ballycastle native’s appointment has been fast-tracked quicker than initially might have been expected.

He comes in at the end of a “thorough recruitment process” but there’s no dounting his credentials for the job.  Nine Derry titles and four Ulster club championships with Slaughtneil, leading the Derry side to the breakthrough for Derry clubs in the provincial championships while coming up agonisingly short against Na Pairsaigh, Ballyhale and Ballygunner on the All Ireland stage.

This isn’t McShane’s first taste of senior county management, he was in charge of Tyrone and led them to the national league Division Three crown and the Nicky Rackard Cup during his tenure from 2021 to 2023 – described as: “three hugely productive years” before taking over Antrim’s U20s last year.

He led the U20s through a successful Leinster campaign that saw them clinch the U20B title with a comfortable win over Carlow in May of this year.  In an interview after the game, he recognised the talent that’s coming through for Antrim and with that knowledge, there isn’t anyone better placed to take the job.

The appointment is still to be ratified at the County Committee meeting at the beginning of next week and his backroom team is still to be confirmed.  All eyes will be looking out for that announcement but for now, Antrim have got their man.

Ádh mór Michil, go n-éiri leat!

Above – The Antrim Minor team who beat Kerry in the Peadar O Liathain Cup semi-final on Saturday.

Antrim 1-19 Kerry 1-12

Another long journey for the Antrim Minor Hurlers, where they booked their place in the Peadar O Liathain final following an impressive semi-final win over Kerry Minor Hurlers at Ratheniska GAA, Co Laois.

Facing into a strong breeze in the opening half, the young Saffs made a blistering start and quickly established a 0-05 to 0-02 advantage. Kerry responded well with a series of accurate scores, particularly from placed balls, to stay in touch throughout a competitive first half.

A late surge from Kerry saw them hit 1-01 in the closing minutes before the break, leaving the sides separated by just two points at half-time, with the scoreboard reading Kerry 1-06, Antrim 0-11.

Kerry opened the second half strongly with two early frees to draw level, but Antrim responded in composed fashion. A string of scores from play helped restore their advantage, and the Saffs maintained control as the contest entered the closing stages.

The decisive moment arrived late in the game when vice-captain Oisin McLaren rifled home a penalty to seal victory and secure Antrim’s place in the final on a scoreline of Kerry 1-12, Antrim 1-19.

The result capped another huge effort from the Antrim panel, who have travelled more than 2,500 miles during their campaign while balancing preparations with ongoing exams. Having spent seven of the last eight weeks on the road, the young Saffs now turn their attention to one final push as they prepare to face Offaly Minor Hurlers in this weekend’s final, which is looking like a 12:30 throw in at Parnell Park (still tbc).

Joe McDonagh Cup Hurling

Laois 2-21 | Antrim 0-22

What began as a campaign burdened with the heavy tag of favoritism has quickly spiraled into a nightmare for Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim. Following last week’s disastrous home defeat to Down in Dunloy, the Saffrons desperately needed a bounce-back performance at O’Moore Park. Instead, a devastating second-half collapse condemned them to a seven-point defeat against Tommy Fitzgerald’s Laois, all but ending their hopes of lifting the Joe McDonagh Cup.

Playing with the breeze at their backs in the opening half, Antrim looked eager to banish the ghosts of the Down defeat. The visitors started brightly, with Conal Cunning and Ryan McCambridge splitting the posts early on.

However, disaster struck just two minutes in. A piercing solo run from Laois’s Tomas Keyes carved open the Antrim defense, allowing Cillian Dunne to fire past Cormac McFadden into the Saffron net after the Loughgiel man had made a brilliant stop from Laois’s initial effort.

To their immense credit, Fitzgerald’s men did not panic. Despite Laois adding points through Stephen Maher and Martin Phelan, Antrim dug deep and fought their way back into the contest.

The Saffron attack found its rhythm, heavily orchestrated by the instrumental trio of James McNaughton, Ryan McCambridge, and Seaan Elliott. Antrim weathered the storm and impressively turned the deficit around to march into the dressing room with a hard-fought 0-15 to 1-11 lead at the break.

The opening exchanges of the second half were a tense, tit-for-tat affair. Eoin O’Neill (1) and Seaan Elliott (2) rattled off three points—including two crucial frees—to give Antrim a 0-20 to 1-16 lead after 54 minutes, the traveling support dared to believe the campaign was back on track.

Incredibly, and tragically for Antrim, the scoring completely dried up.

The Saffrons hit a proverbial brick wall, failing to register a single score for a prolonged, agonizing period. Laois smelled blood and ruthlessly punished the drought, rattling off 1-6 without reply. Tomas Keyes leveled the game before a procession of Laois points from Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher (who finished with a staggering 0-14), David Dooley, and Cillian Dunne broke Antrim’s resolve.

The fatal blow was delivered when Dunne found the back of the net for his second goal of the afternoon, putting the game entirely out of Antrim’s reach. Late consolation points from James McNaughton and Jack McCloskey did little to soften the blow as Laois ran out worthy, if not comfortable, winners.

For Antrim, a season that promised so much now requires nothing short of a miracle to salvage.

Antrim Scorers:

• Sean Elliott: 0-9 (7 frees)
• James McNaughton: 0-6 (3 frees)
• Ryan McCambridge: 0-3
• Conal Cunning, Paul Boyle, Jack McCloskey, Eoin O’Neill: 0-1 each

Laois Scorers:

• Stephen Maher: 0-14 (8 frees, 3 ’65s)
• Cillian Dunne: 2-2
• Martin Phelan: 0-2
• Tomas Keyes, Ian Shanahan, Fiachra C-Fennell, David Dooley, James Keyes: 0-1 each

Antrim Lineup: Cormac McFadden; Ryan McNulty, Paddy Burke, Stephen Rooney; Oisin Donnelly, Niall O’Connor, Joe Maskey; Eoin O’Neill, Paul Boyle; Keelan Molloy, Ryan McCambridge, Conal Cunning; James McNaughton, Ruairi Donaghy, Sean Elliott. Subs used: Conal Bohill for Donaghy (42), Conor Johnston for O’Neill (46), Jack McCloskey for Boyle (62), Ruairi McCormack for McNulty (65), Joseph McLoughlin for Elliott (66).

Laois Lineup: Eoin Reilly; Ian Shanahan, Podge Delaney, Lee Cleere; Ciaran McEvoy, Fiachra C Fennell, Ryan Mullaney; David Dooley, Aidan Corby; Stephen Maher, Tomas Keyes, Aaron Dunphy; Martin Phelan, Ben Conroy, Cillian Dunne. Subs used: Gearoid Lynch for Corby (HT), James Keyes for Dunphy (50), Mark Dowling for Conroy (58), Jack Kelly for Dunne (66), Cormac Byrne for Maher (69).

Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)

Leinster Mnor Hurling

Peadar Ó Liatháin Cup

Kildare 3-09 Antrim 5-20

Above- The Antrim team who beat Kildare in the Peadar Ó Liatháin Cup

After a narrow two-point defeat to Laois in O’Moore Park the previous week— a result that denied them a place in Tier One hurling via the Group 4 qualifier— Antrim minor hurlers responded in emphatic fashion on the road to Kildare in the Peadar Ó Liatháin competition, recording a convincing 5-20 to 3-09 victory.

Playing into a strong breeze in the opening half, the young Saffrons showed resilience and composure, with first-half goals from Enna McGuickan and Lewis Rafferty setting the tone. They built on that platform after the break, as Conall Dempsey, Rafferty (who claimed his second goal), and Connlaodh McNaughton all found the net to put the result beyond doubt.

It was an impressive all-round team performance, characterised by a solid defensive display and an exceptional work rate across midfield and the half-forward line.

The commitment of the squad continues to stand out, with significant effort put into training and the demands of all fixtures being away from home. Attention now turns to further group-stage tests, with trips to Wicklow this Saturday followed by Carlow the following week, as they aim to secure a place in the semi-finals.

Leinster Minor Hurling Championship

Laois 2-17 Antrim 1-18

Laois secured their place in Tier 1 of the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship after a hard-fought, dramatic victory over a resilient Antrim side in Portlaoise, the O’Moore County winning in the end by two. In a game defined by the elements and shifting momentum, the young Saffrons put in a brilliant display against the wind in the second half but ultimately fell just short following a tense finale.

Antrim, playing with a strong wind at their backs in the opening half, started brightly. Their sharpshooter, Oisin McLaren, opened his account in the very first minute with a free, quickly following it up with another point from play. The Saffrons’ early dominance was highlighted by a superb sideline cut from brilliant midfielder Logan McConville, giving them an early edge. However, Laois were dangerous on the counter. After Callum Jones responded to another McLaren free, the home side struck for the game’s first goal in the 9th minute. A powerful run by corner-forward Bobby O’Connor tore through the Antrim defense, setting up Oisin Gilligan to finish clinically to the net.

The sides traded blows, with Dan Downey pointing against the wind for Laois before Antrim raised a green flag of their own. Great work from Lewis Rafferty unlocked the Laois defense, allowing Jay Gault to smash the ball into the net, putting Antrim briefly back in control. As the half drew to a close, Antrim’s Eunan Curry popped over a brilliant point to put them three clear, but disaster struck for the visitors just moments later. A long clearance against the wind by Laois hung up on the wind and when the Antrim defence was caught off his lineere caught out Laois full forward pounced to fire in his side’s second goal. Late scores from John Ferguson for Antrim and Killian James for Laois left the home side taking a narrow 2-7 to 1-9 lead into the dressing room.

Given the strength of the wind they were about to face, Antrim appeared to be in deep troubl as they emerged for the second half but they played brilliantly to stay in contention right to the end The second half largely turned into a shootout between the two primary free-takers: Laois’s LJ Cuddy and Antrim’s Oisin McLaren. Antrim leveled the game early in the half through full-forward Connlaodh McNaughton, setting the tone for a gripping final quarter. The sides were level on three separate occasions in the closing 15 minutes. McLaren battled incredibly well against the elements, stringing together a trio of consecutive points at one stage to keep the pressure firmly on the hosts.

With the game entering injury time, Laois’s efficiency in front of the posts proved decisive, as Cuddy added crucial scores to open up a two-point lead. However, the drama wasn’t over. In the dying moments, Antrim engineered one final, desperate chance to snatch victory. Oisin McLaren found himself with a sight of goal, but his blistering shot was met with a spectacular, match-winning save by Laois goalkeeper Ryan Keeshan. Laois held on to the final whistle to take the victory and secure their spot in Tier 1 of the Leinster Championship. For Antrim, the disappointment of the narrow defeat will be tempered by the pride in their second-half performance. Their season is far from over as they now regroup to take part in the Leinster B competition, where they will undoubtedly be a formidable force.