Category / County

by thesaffrongael

Well beaten Antrim must now turn their attentions to next Sunday in Mullingar

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship round-robin 4

Galway 5-29 Antrim 1-22

Antrim left Pearse Stadium today with a lot on their minds after taking a nineteen point beating from Galway in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in their penultimate game in the Leinster round-robin game. However  events on the other side of the country, where their final game opponents Westmeath staged a remarkable comeback from 16 points down to beat Wexford was very much in their thoughts as well.

The midlanders remarkable comeback means that Antrim must now beat the Midlanders in Mullingar next Sunday to stay in the Leinster championship, instead of getting a draw, which had appeared to be the likely scenario. If Antrim do manage to pull off a win over the Lakelanders, and already qualified Kilkenny beat Wexford in the last game, then Wexford will find themselves relegated to the JoeMcDonagh Cup, while Antrim and Westmeath will remain in the championship.

During the first half of Sunday’s game Antrim had battled well and were in contention for most of the first-half, but as Galway upped the pace in the lead to half time they stretched their lead and were in complete control by the half time whistle as they lead by 2-17 to 1-07

Antrim got away to a great start as Eoin O’Neill ran at the Galway defence before passing to Niall McKenna who was brought down by a Galway defender and Conal Cunning fired home the resultant penalty. Conor Cooney and Evan Niland came back with points to cut the gap to a single point but Enda Og McGarry hit Antrim’s first from play to put them 1-2 to 0-4 up, but when Galway rattled off the next five on the spin, with Cooney and Niland hitting two apiece and Padraic Mannion also on target the picture was slowly changing

Antrim responded with points from Conor Cunning and Keelan Molloy but on 28 minutes, but things began to slip for the Glensmen when a Ronan Glennon’s shot for a point came back off the post and the loose ball was whipped to the net by Conor Whelan. When Paddy Burke replied with a point to reduce the gap to four, things didn’t look too bad but Galway came strong in the final minutes as Niland, Cooney, Kevin Cooney and Declan McLoughlin all sent over points before Whelan delivered a killer blow as he drilled the ball to the net to put his team 2-15 to 1-7 ahead at the break. .

It was a long run to Galway for most Antrim fans, but John DeNovi (seen here in the glasses) made it all the way from Tampa Bay Florida, whis is almost 4,000 miles.

To their credit Antrim kept battling after the restart but they missed a couple of early scoring chances while at the other end Conor Cooney, Joseph Cooney and Declan McLaughlin all found the target.

James McNaughton did get Antrim away in the second period with a points on the run, but they were hit with a third goal straight after as a good move resulted in Kevin Cooney blasting home.

Three points in quick succession lifted Antrim spirits but Galway’s fourth goal wasn’t far away and on 47 minutes, Tom Monaghan got in and fired home his team’s fourth goal from a narrow angle.

James McNaughton had a great shot at goal saved by the Galway netminder, and though the Loughgiel man pointed the resultant 65, the intensity of the game was fading a bit. With next weekend’s game in their minds both teams made a raft of changes which killed the pace of the game, but Galway still had a goal in them, and Liam Collins got his side’s fifth major with a fine finish.

One promising thing in the final minutes was Daniel McKernan, who was making his return after a long absence through injury, came on and hit  three good points for the Saffrons, and the Sarsfields man should be available for next week’s crucial decider in Mullingar

GALWAY: E Murphy; J Grealish, G McInerney, D Morrissey; P Mannion (0-2), D Burke, F Burke; J Cooney (0-2), C Mannion; R Glennon, E Niland (0-8, 2 frees, 2 65s), C Cooney (0-7); K Cooney (1-2), C Whelan (2-0), D McLoughlin (0-4).

Subs: T Monaghan (1-2) for C Mannion (7), TJ Brennan (0-1) for F Burke (head injury, 15, not reversed), C Fahy for R Glennon (48), A Tuohey (0-1) for D Burke (53), L Collins (1-0) for C Whelan (53), J Ryan for J Cooney (62)

ANTRIM: T Smyth; P Burke (0-3), G Walsh, S Rooney; R McGarry, C Boyd, N O Connor; K Molloy (0-1), E Og McGarry (0-1); E O’Neill (0-1), C Cunning (1-3, 1-0 pen, 0-2 frees), N McKenna (0-1); D Nugent (0-1), J McNaughton (0-4, 1 free, 1 65), C Johnston (0-3).

Subs: P Boyle for G Walsh (HT), J Maskey (0-1) for D Nugent (50), D McKernan (0-3) for C Cunning (50), S Walsh for K Molloy (55), A Bradley for E O’Neill ( blood sub, 62, not reversed), C McKernan for P Burke (64)

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary)

The Paddies in Salthill as Daniel McKernan (23) made a welcome return when introduced as a second half substitute
by thesaffrongael

Poor first half costs Antrim dearly, but they showed great character to battle back

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship round robin – Game 2

Wexford 1-30 Antrim 1-26

PICS BY NOEL REDDY

James McNaughton who scored a brilliant goal for Antrim early in the game.

A poor first half, at the end of which they trailed by nine points, cost Antrim dearly in Saturday’s Leinster SHC round-robin duel at Chadwicks Wexford Park. The talk of an Antrim win in the lead up to the game appeared to sharpen the minds of the home side who were really up for it from the start and their forwards led the Antrim defence a merry dance in that opening period.

When they trailed by nine points at half time the Antrim fans who made the journey south must have feared the worst, but to their credit Antrim showed much more character and skill in the second half and at the end of the game they had cut that nine point deficit back to just four. It could have been even closer, and dare I say it they could have won the game, had it not been for two outstanding saves by Wexford goalkeeper James Lawlor from Antrim substitute Rian McMullan and Keelan Molloy.

Despite a strong start by Wexford which saw Rory O’Connor hit two and Liam Og McGovern one the lead was soon back to a single point as Seaan Elliott and Gerard Walsh (free) hit excellent points, Walsh’s free from well inside his own half

Things remained tight as the sides traded scores before an Oisín Foley double suggested a Wexford surge was in the offing as they pulled 0-6 to 0-3 ahead on ten minutes.

But Antrim shook things up seconds later when James McNaughton dashed in from the right wing to crash home an equalising goal (1-3 to 0-6).

Wexford responded thought and they 1-6 in a six minute spell of dominance, while conceding just a single point themselves.

Conal Cunning who was top scorer with 13 points

Jack O’Connor hit a quick brace before his brother, Rory, a constant thorn in Antrim’s side, released Cathal Dunbar, who danced past a couple of defenders before firing home in the fourteenth minute and suddenly the gap was a yawning eight points.

Antrim kept battling as Michael Bradley, Conal Cunning, Keelan Molloy and McNaughton all added points to cut the gap back to five by the 25th minute, but the Yellow Bellies pushed on before the break to open a 1-19 to 1-10 gap by half-time.

That gap could have been a lot closer as Antrim had gone agonisingly close to netting in the 35th minute, when substitute Rian McMullan’s goal bound shot was brilliantly saved by Lawlor in the Wexford goals.

Whether it was the promptings of Antrim manager Darren Gleeson or just the fact that they realised that the first half display was simply not good enough, but Antrim were transformed in the second half. The Saffrons closed to within 1-20 to 1-14 by the 42nd minute as Neil McManus, Coby Cunning (free), Rian ‘Bubbles’ McMullan and Conor Johnston all added points. However the gap was soon out to nine again as Lee Chin, Rory O’Connor and the O’Connors, Jack and Rory, hit back with points to stretch the lead to 1-25 to 1-16 after 51 minutes.

Neil McManus sends over an Antrim point

But Antrim kept battling and and fought back to trail by 1-28 to 1-23 after 65 minutes as Cunning (three frees) and subs McMullan, Paul Boyle and Séamie McAuley kept Wexford on their toes.

Indeed, the home-side were thankful for another intervention by ‘keeper James Lawlor as he blocked another close-range shot from Keelan Molloy. You felt if the Ulster men could get a goal they game was still there for the taking, but to their credit Wexford kept control and were four ahead at the final whistle.

Coby Cunning goes past the challenge of Wexford midfielder Conor Hearne

Wexford: James Lawlor; Matthew O’Hanlon, Liam Ryan, Conor Foley; Simon Donohoe (0-1), Shane Reck, Conor Devitt; Diarmuid O’Keeffe, Conor Hearne; Jack O’Connor (0-5), Lee Chin (0-8, 4 frees, 1 ‘65), Oisín Foley (0-4); Liam Óg McGovern (0-2), Rory O’Connor (0-7), Cathal Dunbar (1-2).

Subs: Joe O’Connor for Ryan, inj. (HT), Conor McDonald for Hearne (46), Kevin Foley for O’Keeffe (54), Mikie Dwyer for J. O’Connor (59), Richie Lawlor (0-1) for Dunbar (69).

Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Paddy Burke, Ryan McGarry, Niall O’Connor (0-1); Gerard Walsh (0-1 free), Eoghan Campbell, Scott Walsh; Michael Bradley (0-1), Seaan Elliott (0-1); Keelan Molloy (0-1), Joe Maskey, James McNaughton (1-1); Conal Cunning (0-13, 10 frees, 2 ‘65s), Neil McManus (0-2, 1 free), Conor Johnston (0-1).

Subs: Rian McMullan (0-2) for Maskey (32), Paul Boyle (0-1) for S. Walsh (33), Eoin O’Neill for S. Elliott (45), Séamie McAuley (0-1) for Johnston (55), Domhnall Nugent for Campbell (64).

Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary).

by thesaffrongael

Old friends on opposite sides at Wexford Park

The Antrim fans left Corrigan Park last Saturday with mixed feelings after drawing with Dublin, who earned themselves a share of the points due to a point deep in injury time. There was great disappointment at conceding that late score, after leading for the majority of the game, but also a sense of relief when you thought back on the opportunities that the Dubs missed through the game.

Seaan Elliott moves out to midfield in Saturday’s team to face Wexford

The Saffrons looked set to take the win the game when they went six points clear early in the second half, despite facing a stiff breeze, but they lost their way a little as Dublin took control around the middle of the field. Antrim could not win a ball in middle third as Dublin clawed their way back. When they visitors hit the front with just ten minutes to go it looked like was going to be the same old story, but the men in Saffron showed great character to battle back. When substitute Paul Boyle put them ahead in injury time we all held our breath, hoping they could hold on, but it wasn’t to be and O’Sullivan’s late point meant it ended all square.

We all knew going into this Leinster campaign that the nature of these physically punishing games would most likely take its toll on the Antrim team and so it has proved when Nigel Elliott went off early with a foot injury, an injury that will probably keep the Dunloy ace out of action for the remainder of the campaign.

Gerard Walsh once again plays in the half back line

With Niall McKenna already out through injury Antrim are robbed of two ball winners in the half forward line. When excellent midfielder Michael Bradly went down injured in the final minute at Corrigan last week, it looked like he would join the casualty list as well, but the Johnnies midfield star has been named on the starting team for Wexford Park. In fact there is only one personnel change in Saturday’s line up with Joe Maskey coming in for the injured Elliott. The defence is the same as started last week, when all of them showed well, but there is a positional switch at midfield where Seaan Elliott comes out to join Bradley. James McNaughton, who started alongside Bradley against Dublin move out to the left half forward position, while Maskey is on the forty and Keelan Molloy on the right. Last week’s full forward line of Conal Cunning, Neill McManus and Conor Johnston remains the same as last week.

James Mcnaughton moves from midfield to wing forward

Playing away from home is a hard task for any team and Saturday’s game will be no different. Wexford are formidable opponents, who will start as firm favourites, despite last week’s defeat to Galway. However if Antrim show the fight, determination and skill they displayed last week they are more that capable of getting something out of this game and give manager Daren Gleeson the bragging rights over his good friend Darragh Egan.

by thesaffrongael

Corrigan Thriller as Antrim and Dubs Can’t be Seperated

Seaan Elliott who had his best game in an Antrim jersey for quite a while with a top class display

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Round 1

Antrim 1-19 Dublin 1-19

Saturday 22 April

Brendan McTaggart reports from Corrigan Park, Belfast

Pulsating, breathtaking, heart stopping yet you didn’t want it to stop.  Corrigan Park opened its arms to the Leinster Championship on Saturday afternoon and Antrim stepped up to the challenge of Dublin in the throws of Championship hurling and put the men from the capital to the pin of their collar.  

In the end, the sides couldn’t be separated at the end of the 70 plus minutes of action in a contest neither really knew if it was a point dropped or earned.  Antrim lead for the majority of the game yet had to dig deep after Donal Burke’s 67th minute goal gave Dublin the lead for the first time in the game.  And dig deep they did.  Points from Coby Cunning and substitute Paul Boyle looked like they had given Antrim the best start possible to the 2023 Leinster Championship but were pegged back in the sixth minute of injury time with Cian O’Sullivan firing over his sixth point of the game.

In a performance that belittled the bookies, Antrim played with huge intensity.  They met fire with fire against a Dublin side who they had come up second best in the physical stakes in the recent past.  Dublin are a physically imposing side and have plenty of flare in their ranks and Antrim matched them all over the pitch.

Keelan Molloy fires over the opening score of the game
Conor Johnston celebrates his major in the eighth minute

Cunning the top scorer with seven of his 0-9 coming from placed ball but he played the vast majority of the game around the middle third.  Chasing, harassing, tackling anything that moved and creating where he could.  The Dunloy man has become much more than meets the eye.  Despite losing Nigel Elliott late in the first half, his brother Seaan also shone.  Playing with a freedom, an abandonment and confidence that may have been lacking in recent times, Elliott was back to his mercurial best from midfield.

Defensively, the Saffrons were quite simply outstanding.  Behind them, Ryan Elliott’s reflexes denied Dublin three if not four certain goals while captain Eoghan Campbell lead by example and was in the thick of everything.  Gerard Walsh and Conal Bohill were superb throughout while Paddy Burke’s display rightly earned him the man of the match award.  Scoring a point, he made an amazing goal saving tackle in the second half among numerous turnovers, the Dublin attack will be glad to see the back of the Cushendall man.

A scintillating start laid the foundations for the Saffrons performance.  Before the game, Darren Gleeson called for his side to produce something different and to make the Dubs react to them instead of playing catch up.  A trademark score from Keelan Molloy below the Corrigan Park stand opened the scoring before Donal Burke replied.  It did little to stop the early Saffron charge however as Antrim hit three of the next four scores to lead by two after eight minutes.

Antrim’s goal came through a piece of individual brilliance from Seaan Elliott.  Picking the sliotar up around midfield, the space opened up in front of him and Elliott took off, leaving a trail of blue shirts in his wake.  His shot was superbly saved by Sean Brennan in the Dublin goal but as the sliotar spun high, Conor Johnston was on hand to bat the rebound to the back of the net.

By the time Coby Cunning fired over his third point of the game in the 13th minute, Antrim held a deserving five point lead.  The visitors began to find their range however and fired four points in three minutes thanks to O’Sullivan (two), Alex Considine and Cian Boland.

Antrim’s response came from two gargantuan frees from Gerard Walsh and Cunning before the Dunloy marksman scored his first from open play in the 30th minute.

Paul Crummey left the major between the sides before a sumptuous sideline cut from Elliott sailed between the sticks.  A trio of points from Dublin through Donal Burke (two frees) and Daire Gray left the minimum between the sides but Cunning had the last say of the half with a free deep in injury time following a great catch by Neil McManus, to leave Antrim two ahead at the short whistle.  

Half time score: Antrim 1-11 Dublin 0-12

It was a huge half of hurling from the Saffrons and they probably deserved to be further ahead at the interval.  They had the wind at their backs in the first half and it was going to take something special in the second half and Antrim duly obliged.  Five of the opening six points of the second half came from an Antrim hurl with Cunning firing over a brace of frees and scores from Walsh (free), Paddy Burke and Seaan Elliott.  A hotly disputed sideline from O’Sullivan the solitary response from Miceal Donoghue’s men.

Dublin reorganized and put Antrim on the back foot before Michael Bradley fired their next score.  Donal Burke was having a rare off-day from placed ball but still managed to fire over two frees and a ’65 to reduce the Antrim lead to three points.  It could have been more but for the brilliance and bravery of Paddy Burke to deny Sean Currie from close range.

With the game in the melting pot, both sides looked to the bench for legs and energy for the final quarter.  O’Sullivan and Donal Burke cut the Antrim lead to two once more before firing the goal in the 67th minute.  Ronan Hayes gathering the sliotar close to the end line on the right hand side, he looked to have overcarried before passing to O’Sullivan.  He fed the sliotar to Donal Burke and he expertly found the bottom corner of Ryan Elliott’s net.

Antrim rallied in the time that remained with Cunning restoring parity with the next Antrim attack.  With the game reaching into injury time, they rolled the dice once more.  Paddy Burke breaking from defence and finding Seaan Elliott.  The Dunloy man lured the Dublin defence before finding substitute Paul Boyle and as the Corrigan crowd held its collective breath, the sliotar sailed over the bar.

It was the Dubs who dug deep this time and could have had another goal but for the bravery of Conal Bohill to throw himself in the way of Cian Boland’s goal bound effort.  The sliotar went out for a ’65 and while Donal Burke’s effort was far from accurate, the Dublin attack recycled and found O’Sullivan with the half yard he needed to bring the sides level once again.

Referee John Keenan called time with the next poc out to bring an end to what was a hugely entertaining game of hurling.  Antrim played with greater intensity, hunger and work rate to anything we had witnessed in 2023 and made the step up to top tier championship hurling.  The journey takes us to the sunny south coast next weekend where Wexford lay in wait.

TEAMS

Antrim: Ryan Elliott; P Burke (0-1), Ryan McGarry, Niall O’Connor, Gerard Walsh (0-3 frees), Eoghan Campbell, Conal Bohill; Michael Bradley (0-2), James McNaughton, Seaan Elliott (0-2, 0-1 sideline), Keelan Molloy (0-1), Nigel Elliott; Conal Cunning (0-9, 0-7 frees), Neil McManus, Conor Johnston (1-0) 

Subs: Joe Maskey for N Elliott (29), Eoin O’Neill for K Molloy (62), Paul Boyle (0-1) for C Johnston (66), Domhnall Nugent for J McNaughton (69), Rian McMullan for M Bradley (72)

Dublin: Sean Brennan; Mark Grogan, Eoghan O’Donnell, Paddy Smyth; Paddy Doyle, Conor Burke, Daire Gray (0-1); Conor Donohue, Chris O’Leary; Danny Sutcliffe, Donal Burke (1-9, 0-6 frees, 0-2 ‘65s), Cian Boland (0-1); Alex Considine (0-1), Cian O’Sullivan (0-6, 0-1 sideline), Paul Crummey (0-1) 

Subs: Ronan Hayes for A Considine (49), Sean Currie for P Crummey (56)

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)

He scored from his first touch to put his team in front in injury time, but championship debutant Paul Boyle had to settle for a share of the spoils as the Dubs came back to share the spoils. Our pic shows the Loughgiel man shake hands with Dublin corner back Mark Grogan as referee John Keenan signals the end of the game.

Paddy Burke receives the Fibrus Man of the Match award after the game

by thesaffrongael

A little bit of history as Dublin visit Corrigan Park

Leinster Hurling Championship – Round One

Antrim v Dublin

Saturday 22 April

Throw in: 2pm

Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)

Brendan McTaggart previews Antrim’s Leinster Championship opener with Dublin on Saturday at Corrigan Park.

Antrim’s Leinster championship campaign begins on Saturday with a little piece of history.  The first Leinster championship game to be held in Ulster. Having secured their status in Division One for a fourth season in succession, Darren Gleeson will have his first crack at the Leinster championship ‘proper’ with their previous visit shortened due to the covid pandemic.

Saturday will be five weeks since the Saffrons last played a competitive game and as the Antrim manager told us, they’ve been busy preparing for what promises to be an intense and hectic schedule over the next few weeks: “Our last game was against Tipp on 19th March and we were back at it on the Tuesday night after that.

“We had a week training camp that was hugely beneficial.  There was a block of intense, heavy training there and a challenge game with Waterford.  The lads were fantastic and bought into everything that we were trying to achieve out there.”

Antrim manager Darren Gleeson

It’s not the first time the Saffrons have gone to Portugal for this training camp but as Gleeson informed us, his players are reaping the rewards they have sewn off the pitch: “It was all driven by the players.  It’s a great sign and a great trait in these players when they are willing to go that extra mile to do what it takes.  The County Board did give funds towards it but the overwhelming majority of the coffers it took to put on that training camp came from funds raised by the players.  They’ve put in a huge amount of work both on and off the pitch to try and be the best they possibly can be.”

Incredibly, this is the first time Gleeson and his backroom team have had the time to prepare for the championship on its own.  Previous campaigns have been curtailed with scheduling and a global pandemic(!) and he told us it was more than welcome: “I suppose that’s the truth of it (championship preparation).  The first year we won the McDonagh Cup during covid and there was no entry into the Liam McCarthy.  Next year we had that one game in Navan against Dublin in a funny game with no crowd or atmosphere then last year was a very compact schedule with league and the relegation play-off before going into the McDonagh Cup and then Cork in the All-Ireland qualifier last year.

“The break has been beneficial and overall, we’re in a good place.  The lads have benefitted from everything we’ve put in place and it’s allowed us to get rid of a few knocks and niggles.”

Antrim and Dublin in action in Parnell Park earlir this season

Antrim’s recent history hasn’t been anything to write home about.  A rousing comeback in Parnell earlier in the league still saw Antrim come up three points short (2-19 to 0-28) while there was defeats by four and eight points in the previous league campaigns.  You have to go back to 2010 for the last time Antrim defeated Dublin, Karl Stewart firing over the winner in Croke Park to give Antrim a 1-17 to 0-19 win, meaning Neil McManus us the only surviving member of that squad to have tasted victory over the Dubs with current coach Johnny Campbell playing centre half.  Despite this, Gleeson still remains upbeat and positive on the Saffrons chances: “I think it’s a game that whoever plays to their potential will come out on the right side of the result.  The difference in recent games against Dublin is we’ve been playing catch-up when we have our purple patch.  We need to be more consistent throughout the game and not let the game get away from us.  You look at the game in Parnell earlier this year and last year as well.  When they’ve got on top of us they have built a lead and then we’re trying to get back into the game and get some sort of parity.”

Saturday represents another step in the journey that Darren Gleeson and his backroom team have taken Antrim hurling on.  A step in a journey returning to the Leinster championship.  It will be the first of two home games in the competition, two massive games against sides playing at the top level of hurling and a chance for Antrim to test where they are in that regard.  It is a massive test, make no mistake about it and Gleeson is hoping for a vocal support on the Whiterock Road come Saturday: “When I got my backroom team together we wanted Antrim playing regularly in Division One and have Leinster Championship hurling and that was told to the County Board.  They wanted Antrim to be playing consistently at the top level and we wanted it too.  The opportunities there now for us to have an impact and we’re as well prepared as we could be for this.  It’s brilliant to have these five games now and especially for the players who have pushed really hard to get to this level.

Three of Antrim’s ‘young guns’ Keelan Molloy, Conal Cunniing and James McNaughton. These lads were just lef primary school the last time Antrim lowered the Dublin colours back in 2010

“I’m hoping for a huge crowd in Corrigan but I’d expect a fair few travelling from Dublin also.  They carry a healthy support and we’ll see a sprinkling of blue shirts throughout Belfast on Saturday.

“It’s a small piece of history and brilliant for the promotion of our game.  A couple of years back when Slaughtneil played Ballyhale in Newry there was calls to have more high profile games in the north of the country and Saturday is one of those games.”

Since the interview with Darren, he has announced his team with Ryan Elliott retaining his place in goals.  Club mate Ryan McGarry takes hold of a number three shirt he has made his own this year with Paddy Burke and Niall O’Connor either side.  Captain Eoghan Campbell takes his place at the heart of the defence with Gerard Walsh and Conal Bohill either side while Michael Bradley and James McNaughton make up the midfield pairing.  Keelan Molloy lines out at centre three-quarters with brothers Seaan and Nigel Elliott either side making an all Dunloy half forward line while Neil McManus is accompanied by Conal Cunning and Conor Johnston at full forward.

The only obvious omission is Niall McKenna who has picked up a knock in recent training, a huge blow but it’s a forward unit who is full of guile, speed, strength and accuracy.  They will need to be firing on all cylinders on Saturday from the first whistle. 

Antrim’s Seaan Elliot who lines out in the half forward line

10 of the starting 15 lined out from the first whistle when the sides met in the shortened Leinster Championship two years ago but this has been a more settled Antrim team in recent times.  Ryan McGarry at three has been something of a revelation since moving to the position for Dunloy during their championship campaign while Gerard Walsh looks more at home at wing half.  Eoghan Campbell is a natural at six while Michael Bradley has been Antrim’s most consistent performer in 2023 regardless of his position.  A pairing with James McNaughton certainly has huge potential to work and they will be up against a massive test on Saturday.

To get anything from the game Antrim will have to make Dublin do something different from recent matches.  Those games have largely been played on their terms and Gleeson hit the nail on the head when saying his side has been playing catch up too often.  A fast start is required, a huge support is needed, a rocking Corrigan Park to welcome Leinster Championship hurling to the ‘wee six’ would go down well.

Let’s bring the noise.

James McNaughton who will line out at midfield alonside Michael Bradley