Working on a Dream

Wimbledon weren't supposed to beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final in 1988, Buster Douglas had no chance against Mike Tyson in 1990. In 1992 Clare suprised the whole GAA world when they won the Munster Football final, dammit even last week the Connaught script said that Sligo were due to win out over Roscommon in the provincial decider. Having said all of that, here is my official Saturday evening prediction - Antrim won't beat Cork tomorrow, it's a mountain to steep to climb. Isn't it??

The last time Antrim hurlers were in the All Ireland quarter final Cork were the opposition. That resulted in an awful hammering and was one of the worst days out I can remember in Croke Park. Since that time the narrative has been mostly a downhill one - the introduction of the qualifier system which for a while involved groups of three teams placed huge obstacles in the way of Antrim in their quest for a return to this stage. There were high points too in the last 6 years. Winning the Christy Ring cup felt a little bit underwhelming, but league wins over Galway, Wexford, Limerick were fine achievements. The Walsh Cup win in 2008 was something of a milestone, involving as it did a competitive win over Kilkenny. On the night that Northern Ireland's soccer team upset the odds against England in Windsor Park, Antrim fans had their own floodlit joy when we inflicted Dublin's first league reversal of the year.

Can tomorrow be another milestone day? Of course it can happen, and it doesn't take that much of a stretch to imagine the series of events which will have to converge to result in a Saffron victory - it just that it seems highly unlikely. It is true that a lot of our players can improve their own performance from last week and if we are not blown away in the opening half then who's to know? In theory anything less than a 23 point defeat would represent a better return than 2004, but we will be hoping for much, much more than that.

We can look for solid performances from Neil McManus, PJ O'Connell, Liam Watson, Karl McKeegan, Shane McNaughton, Paul Sheils et al. We have a useful subs bench too and it is likely that Michael Herron and Barry McFall will see significant action. If these guys deliver as best they can, we can all take some encouragement from Croke Park tomorrow.

To my memory last Saturday represented Antrim's first hurling win in Croke Park since 1989. 21 years is a long time to have waited between wins. Given the talent and the workrate of these players, the committment from Dinny Cahill and his team, it won't take that long again.

Earlier today Antrim minors lost out to Dublin on a 3.13 to 1.11 scoreline. Details to follow via the Club Aontroma twitter feed.

Antrim unchanged for Sunday

Antrim (SH v Cork): Chris O'Connell; Kieran McGourty, Cormac Donnelly, Sean Delargy; Paul Shiels, Johnny Campbell, Ciaran Herron; Shane McNaughton, Karl Stewart; Simon McCrory, Neil McManus, Thomas McCann; PJ O'Connell, Liam Watson, Karl McKeegan.

Saffrons stake quarter final claim

Taking a holiday in July is a dangerous pursuit for a GAA fan, and increasingly so for Antrim followers. I headed off on the morning of the Casement double header, relying on text and twitter updates to hear of the demise our footballers and the victory for the hurlers over Carlow.

Those results have taken on a new light in the weeks which followed. in retrospect our big opportunity to beat Kildare was in Newbridge the first time round. Chances at the very end of normal and extra time weren't taken; since then Kildare have pushed on and are now one game away from an all Ireland quarter final. Could have been us, but there is little point pining for what might have been. A win for the hurlers over Carlow was expected; what nobody outside the Barrowsiders thought was that they would push the Saffrons all the way. The comeback manner of that victory stood Antrim in good stead last Saturday. We now appear to be a team which refuses to accept defeat and battles to the end. But along with fighting spirit and the deterimation it was a source of pride to look at the hurling skills on display last weekend.

The media previews, not to mention the bookmakers, all assumed an easy passage for the Dubs. That amused me, apart from last summers 10 point defeat, games between Antrim and Dublin have been 50/50 affairs, always with very narrow margins of victory. Onwards to the quarter final versus Cork - of course we are already being written off by many of the 'experts'. But this year has already been a successful one for the hurlers, we are now in bonus territory and who is to say it has to end this weekend?

Remember the barren years when following Antrim seemed to be a pennance? Yet last year our footballers final game was July 26th. This year our hurlers have taken us to the end of July and are still going strong. Be thankful you belong to a dual county, be thankful for Dinny Cahill and his backroom team, thankful for a squad of players giving their all, refusing to accept championship defeats and laying down a new marker for Antrim hurling.

Our minors, under 21 and senior hurlers are all in action this week. Wonder what the odds are on a treble?

Super Saffron Saturday!!

If this weekend's double bill was to be featured on Sky TV, the marketing dept would be in overdrive and the whole thing would likely be branded the "Super Saffron Saturday!". Indeed the Andersonstown News, whose Conor McLoughlin provided an excellent report from Newbridge, used a variation on that brand name in its preview today.

It really is an occassion to savour. It is early in the qualifier series to get unduly excited but the nature of last week's draw - coming from behind when up against it in normal time and extra time - the incentive of playing Leitrim in the next round and the unique pairing with our hurlers, is very enticing.

First things first. At 5pm the county hurlers look to progress in the All Ireland series for the first time since the 'backdoor' was introduced when we play Carlow. Carlow are getting better - they beat Clare in the league and ran Antrim to a narrow margin in Casement. Indeed last week most observors tipped Laois to beat the Barrowsiders, after all the Laois men have made good progress themselves. Carlow saw them off though on a 1.19 - 3.12 scoreline. But Antrim would appear to have moved up a gear since the league ended, and its great to see. The draw against Offaly which led to the extra time defeat was out of the blue and the nature of the Ulster title win over Down displayed a professional approach to summer hurling. Karl McKeegan seems to be enjoying his new role in the full forward line while younger (sorry Karl!) hurlers like Paul Shiels and Shane McNaughton are flourishing. We should win this and progress to a Phase 3 match on 17 July.

At 7pm it's the rematch. The post match analysis from Newbridge seemed to suggest that Kildare kicked themselves out of it. Not true. A lot of their wides were forced upon them through hard tackling and pressure on the ball. At crucial phases in the game it was Antrim forcing the issue, winning hard ball and piling on pressure. There were some poor passages of play from Antrim that need to be addressed and there were some big performances as well.

It's one out with the disappointing news that CJ McGourty has left the panel (makes you wonder why someone would put in the hours at training only to take off at a crucial juncture?) and one in with the welcome return of Michael Magill. We're not privy to what went on behind the scenes in the run up to the Tyrone match, but it is a fact that Magill played a big part in Antrim's successful promotion campaign. His absence was keenly felt in defeat to Offaly and Wexford. If he is match fit, he is a great option to have available to Bradley.

Can Antrim win this football game? Absolutely, and we showed how last week. When Tony Scullion, KOB, Thomas McCann and James Loughry ran at pace at the Kildare defence they made scoring opportunties or drew frees. Run at them boys, all night long. Kevin McGourty made a huge contribution and surely if Michael McCann is fully fit then he has more to give on what could be a special night. During their poor league run Kildare typically followed up a decent performance with a below par effort. Liam Bradley may be playing mind games but he is right to suggest that some teams dont like coming to Belfast.

Of course we throw our city open to visitors and we hope that Carlow and Kildare fans enjoy their visit. But for 70 minutes each, lets make their lives a misery. This double fixture appears to have caught the imagination of Saffron gaels. Those present last week in Newbridge made plenty of noise in the second half. If you are going - and why would you not be? - make plenty of noise all night long.

These guys have trained all year, put in months of work for themselves, for the team, for the county, our county. Play your part on Saturday - they deserve our support.

Heroics in Newbridge

BBC NI's match report from the Kildare V Antrim qualifier, http://tinyurl.com/2c5ag6p
suggests that Antrim might have 'stolen' the match at the end of both normal time and extra time. The BBC have got it wrong, again. Had Antrim's footballers won the game it would have been just reward for a performance full of determination, skill, some wonderful scores and a willingness to stand and fight for championship survival.

The match was in danger of being over shadowed by the emotion surrounding the death and funeral of Dermot Early snr, a Roscommon and Kildare GAA legend whose son lined out for the Lillywhites at midfield. Dermot's memory was well respected, but thereafter the game came into it own. Paddy Cunningham set the Antrim trend with two early points before Kildare fired themselves into the lead with some well taken points. Thomas McCann finished off a superb saffron move with an audacious goal effort which, had it gone under the crossbar rather then ricocheting over, would have been celebrated as a potential goal of the season. Kildare got sloppy towards the end of the first half and we scored the last two points to leave one in it at the berak.

In the second half Kildare could never get further than two points ahead and it was Antrim who finished the stronger. Kevin McGourty played a gigantic game and his score drew the sides level on full time. Tony Scullion may have won the game late on but a draw was a fair outcome.

Into extra time then and we looked in trouble when Kildare scored two points early on. Paddy socred his 9th to bring the margin to the minimum just before the break. In that period Kildare missed a goalden goal chance which left some of us wondering it going to be our night? In the second period Antrim poured forward but when one Paddy Cunningham free fell short, it looked ominous. Hard won possession led to another free which appeared to be further out, but Cunningham stepped up, kept his cool and levelled the game. As in normal time we might have won in the end. It was Antrim who were now bossing the game and turning over possession, yet despite a two minute fracas interrupting play the referee blew up right on the 10 minute mark.

We left Newbridge with a sense of achievement. We faced a team who last year went to the All Ireland Quarter final, up against a bg home crowd and all the emotion that went with the sad death and burial of Dermot Early snr. And we left with our name in the hat for the second round draw, and a terrific double header in prospect next weekend.

Last night's performance will mean so much more if we put Kildare away next weekend. Can we? I would say Antrim have further to improve - some of our players have more to contribute next weekend and if that happens, well, the Saffron summer could be well and truly underway. There were lots of strong performances last night, none more so than that from Kevin McGourty. He caught some great balls, rode some hard tackles and withstood with maturity a cynical stroke as extra time began. He pitched in with 3 great points as well. Sean McGreevy, Kevin O'Boyle, Tony Scullion and Paddy Cunningham also excelled.

It was a night when two championships debutants appeared (Finch and Doherty) and when Thomas McCann went off and re-appeared in extra time. It was a night when Kildare fans around us were utterly convinced that Antrim offered no prospect of a challenge. They thought differently at the end. It was a night to remember.

Rounding off a solid Antrim weekend, our hurlers strolled to an all too comfortable win over Down in the Ulster Hurling Final. Liam Watson, Karl McKeegan and PJ O'Connell led the scoring. Given Carlow's somewhat surprise win over Laois, they will be the oppsoition next aturday in the All Ireland qualifiers. See match report from RTE, http://tinyurl.com/2ch3bt2

The draw for the next round of qualifiers takes place tomorrow morning. Next weekend meanwhile is one not to miss.

Ulster Hurling Final V Down. Team news

Team to play Down this Sunday, C O'Donnell, Kieran McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargy, P Shiels, J Campbell, C Herron, , S McNaughton, K Stewart, C McFall, T McCann, L Watson, PJ O'Connell, N McManus, K McKeegan.

A new bridge to the All Ireland

A week ago I wrote that as the draw for the All Ireland football qualifier series approached what Antrim really would prefer was a home draw against non Ulster competition. I still think it was important to escape the claustrophic nature of continous Ulster derby games, and that factor was even more important than home advantage. And lets be honest, we all would have preferred Division 4 or 3 opposition, but at least we got a team from outside our home province, and so its off to Newbridge on Saturday week for a 7pm throw in V Kildare. It could well turn out to be a cracking game of attacking football.

Is it a daunting task? Well it certainly has a right to claim the 'tie of the round' title although RTE has decided to send the live cameras to Crossmaglen instead for the Orchard county V Donega. That one wont be pretty.

Had our clash with the lillywhites been at home I would suggest we had every reason to be entirely confident going into the game. Kildare lost heavily to Louth first time out, and we had Louth dead and buried inside 20 minutes in what was a league encounter crucial to both sides. And yes I know that it doesn't automatically follow that we will beat Kildare but there is plenty of supporting evidence. Kildare were by all accounts dire against Louth and Kieran McGeeney shipped plenty of flack for his sideline decisions. Subbing corner forward Paudie O'Neill in the first half after he scored 1.1 was a bizarre move and clearly 'Geezer' is under big pressure. Newbridge was no fortress during the National League when, in Division 2, Kildare lost 4 out of 7 matches.

Antrim manage Liam Bradley is as usual sending out very positive messages about our squad and the lessons learned during and after the Tyrone defeat. It may well be the case that injuries and substitutions during that game have led the management to discover just what is the best Antrim starting 15. A challenge match victory over Down was a confidence booster, Paddy Cunningham's quirky foot injury should be cleared up in time and the entire squad is training very well.

Some of Antrim's best performances in the last two seasons have come away from Casement Park, in Ballybofey, Clones, Tullamore and Cavan. By next weekend, Newbridge might just have been added to the list.

Our back door history so far - an unqualified failure

With both Antrim senior team's exiting their respective championships at the firt hurdle, saffron attention is firmly fixed on the qualifier route.

Despite some cynics being 'certain' that we would draw Tipp in the hurling, that draw was made last night and Antrim even managed to avoid the preliminary round. Carlow will play Laois in that fixture with the winners due to come to Casement on
3rd July. Whichever team emerges from the prelim tie will receive full respect, and in fact Laois have the upper hand in our recent battles in league and championship. While Casement Park will hold no fear for them, there is no doubt that we avoided the bigger names and, following the encouraging display V Offaly last Sunday, the summer remains wide open for our hurlers.

On 23rd May following defeat to Tyrone the qualifier route held open the possibility of a 'handy draw' for the footballers. The closer we get to the draw (due this coming Sunday) the more difficult the prospect is looking. Some big names are already in the hat, especially after 'suprise' defeats for Kildare and Mayo at the weekend. Mind you anyone genuinely surprised at Sligo's defeat of Mayo wasn't really paying attention during the league. In there with Clare, Carlow, Leitrim, Longford and London we can add more daunting prospect of Mayo, Derry, Kildare or Armagh.

Our track record in the back door system does not offer much comfort. From memory, we beat Leitrim in Casement in 2001 following our defeat to Derry in the Ulster C'Ship, only to draw Derry in the next round and lose. And for qualifier victories........that's it. In subsequent years we suffered qualifer defeats to, Westmeath (by a point, in Casement)Armagh (Casement, 3 points), Louth (after extra time, away from home) Meath in Casement, and mot sickenly of all the 2006 defeat to Clare. Our confidence was so brittle in those days that a whimper of a challenge from Clare in the second half was enough to snuff out a feeble Antrim effort. In 2007and 2008 we went straight from championship defeat to the Tommy Murphy Cup (losing one final against Wicklow before winning one) and of course we famously went to down to Kerry last year in Tullamore a week after losing the Ulster final.

Maybe we are finally due a qualifier run, and for sure Liam Bradley's Antrim would not have surrendered to Clare the way we did in '06. The best we can hope for, in my view, is a home tie and preferrably against non Ulster opposition. Offaly anybody?

Keeping the faith with Antrim hurlers

The build up to this weekends Leinster Hurling Championship clash with Offaly (Parnell Park, 3.30pm, Sunday)has been so low key it is almost off the radar. Maybe that is a more sensible approach than last year's bow against Dublin in Croke Park which was hyped up to the point where it almost certainly had an overwhelming impact on our hurlers who posted a performance on the day which was well below their league par.

The challenge facing the Saffron hurlers is huge, and the league form which precedes it was far from encouraging, featuring only two wins against Kildare and Carlow. Dinny Cahill never did pay too much attention to the League but defeats to Down, Laois, Westmeath among others were not good portents. The one point defeat to Clare showed more promise and in the final game of the season we were leading Wexford away from home before losing a man to indiscipline and collapsing in the second half.

Look further back in the record books and history shows that some of our brightest hurling days have come against the faithful county. The 1989 All Ireland semi final (Antrim 4.15 - Offaly 1.15) is etched firmly into the minds of Antrim followers, and in the years after that we always performed well against Offaly in the league, posting a few merited victories in the early 1990s. By the close of that decade however Offaly had re asserted their championship authority over the Saffrons and in 1998 they beat us by some 9 points. In the league last year - when the result really mattered, Offaly ran out easy winners in Tullamore. Our most recent win over Offaly came in the final of the Walsh Cup in 2008, at a rain soaked Casement. That result might indicate that Offaly is not a team which holds any psychological edge over Antrim, and that is something to hold onto as we head to Parnell Park.

The Antrim team this weekend is very young, Dinny calls it "a new team" and although only one man, Thomas McCann (not that one) from Creggan is a championship debutant. There is quality and experience in the spine of the team in the shape of Kieran McGourty, Paul Shiels, Neil McManus, Karl Stewart and Karl McKeegan. We can assume (I imagine) that Liam Watson will feature at some stage, so there is scoring ability there. If the defence applies itself tactically as a unit as they did against Clare in the league, there might well be something in this game for Antrim. If the performance is one which is closer to the Laois and Wexford surrenders, then we'd be in some trouble.

Time to show a little faith, one of these years we will see better days for the Antrim hurling team. Maybe it starts this Sunday.

A sorry tale of two halfs

First things first - yesterday was a shattering disappointment for Antrim. All the ingredients were in place for a big saffron occassion, big crowd, sublime weather, great expectations. All but undone by half time.

Was this a re-run of last summer's Ulster Final? The bare facts suggest that yes it was, that Tyrone grabbed an early lead and then sat on it. Yet, I think the second half yesterday suggested that maybe there was something in this game for Antrim, and that Tyrone 'sitting back' wasn't a big factor. When the gap was narrowed to three points, Aodhan Gallagher had a chance to reduce the arrears to two, but his shot went badly wide. Had that gone over, what then? We'll never know.

Too much went wrong too early in the game. Surely it is plain to see that Justin Crozier is not a half forward? Terry O'Neill had too little impact on the game and Brendan Herron's influence, so prominent in the league, was absent. In goals John Finnucane lacked the authority that say Pascal McConnell has. James Loughey, very effective when running at defenders, simply didn't do enough running at defenders.

There were of course positives too. To get within 3 points took a lot of effort and it showed what the team is capable of. Gallagher and Niblock in particular emerged with huge credit. On the line the substitions, whether forced through injury, or made through choice, were the kind that do have an impact on games. Kevin McGourty's impact was instant and his bodycheck on Sean Cavanagh immediately raised the Antrim temperature. It was the kind of hit that shook up the game and we benefitted. CJ too had a fine game, his best in county colours since returning to the fold. But all in all we fell too short. Of course Tyrone are good - they are one of the very best units to have played the game - and we always had an uphill task. But even taking that context into account, Antrim defeats do hurt badly.

So it's the hard road for the saffron faithful. We have not had good fortune in qualifiers so far with only a win over Leitrim way back in 2001 to look back on with any satisfaction. To the GAA Gods, please spare us another Ulster derby match. So far the other qualifier entrants include Derry, Offaly, Tipperary, Carlow and Clare. With a kind draw and an effort from the team that extends over two halfs of a game, we may yet find ourselves with a few more days out this summer.

Harte Vs Heart

There are two ways to look ahead to this coming Sunday's mouth watering Ulster Championship clash versus champions Tyrone. Red, or Saffron.


Reasons to be fearful:

Our footballers have run out of steam at the wrong time of year

The return of the St Galls players has upset the rhytmn and structure of the team

It's Tyrone for Gods sake! They don't do 'fairytales'.

Our last experience of the red hands in the Championship was a 6 point defeat which in reality didn't reflect the gap in quality between the sides.
We are too reliant on Paddy for scores

Enough of that - reasons to be cheerful:

Our guys got the job (promotion) done easing up - after a powerful and impressive series of 4 league wins in succession

The first match to feature the St Galls boys was V Louth, the highest quality first half display from a saffron side in decades

Baker has had almost two months to re mould the squad and oversee smooth re-integration

Kevin McGourty is back on board, and no-one can doubt his talent and potential to make a significant contribution to the team

Its not the old Tyrone, it's the one which got relegated, which had a do or die game V the Dubs, and died. It's Div 2 versus Div 2.

If you put our first half V Louth alongside our second half V Cavan - nobody could live with that.

It's in Casement - where the support can actually make a difference on the day.

We have the most talented pool of players available to the management - who can say for certain what our best team is?

James Loughrey

I choose to look on the saffron side of life, Sunday could come to represent a painful defeat, but there is a good chance it could be one of those days that in years to come we all look back on and say "I was there when we beat Tyrone".

Don't risk missing it.

Club Aontroma will be selling ballots on the day, proceeds in aid of the Dunsilly building fund. The Club Aontroma twitter stream will provide intermittent updates and give a flavour of the day. But really, unless you are following the twitter from abroad, your place is in Casement Park. See you there.

May, you come back again

No disguising the fact that Saturday night was a disappointment to all those who follow Antrim. Yes, the main aim of the league campaign was achieved with something to spare and Antrim will compete in Division 2 of the NFL next year. However Saturday offered a chance of a national title and the promise of a night to remember at Croke Park. In the event we were soundly beaten by deserving Div 3 champions Sligo, on a night when too many Antrim players posted sub par performances.

On the day before the game one observor told me he was anxious about the Div 3 final because, as appropriate, all of Antrim's training was geared towards the 23rd May date V Tyrone. The fear was that too many consecutive heavy training sessions would result in a laden performance on the night. Whether that was a factor or not I don't know but it was clear that the pace which was a feature of earlier league performances wasn't on display on the night.

When it all comes down though, Saturday night's result will be a mere footnote in a league campaign which saw Antrim take a successive promotion and if everything falls into place against Tyrone then the Sligo match will be long forgotten. It should be pointed out also that Sligo played well on the night, very well. Some of their scores were pure quality and they will have plenty to say in the Connaught championship in June. Good luck to them.

The reaction in some quarters to the result and performance has been over the top. The Antrim players have not become poor gaelic footballers over night and when recounting the fact that three from the last four matches have been lost it is worth pointing out that against Offally we lost by 1 point while being severely hampererd by injury; against Wexford the promotion mission had already been accomplished. A team which goes from Division 4 to Division 2 is a quality outfit with sound management. Supporters should now put their trust in that management to correct what needs correcting and stay focussed on the main event - Tyrone on 23rd May.

The support in Croke Park was sizeable, passionate and vocal. So too the crowds at home games in this year's league. Same again next month - it's the least Antrim deserves.

Antrim captain thrilled by early Croke return

Antrim captain Colin Brady told Antrim supporters this morning that it was a thrill for him to be returning to another Croke Park final so soon after St Gall's St Patrick's day triumph in the All Ireland club final.

Colin was speaking during the breakfast event organised by fundraising body Club Aontroma. The event attracted 170 guests to the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast and was sponsored by Irwin's Bakery. Antrim football manager Liam Bradley was the guest of honour and he revealed that John Finnucane, (Goalkeeper), CJ McGourty (centre half forward) and Micheal Magill (full forward) are the main changes from the most recent league game V Wexford.

Brady said that to return to Croke Park with Antrim so quickly after the St Patrick's day milestone was a thrill. "It's great to be back there so quickly and to be playing there with Antrim. It's the best stadium in the country and its the place where every footballer wants to play. To get there twice in such a short space of time is great."

Antrim V Sligo

Antrim and Sligo have been on similar trajectories over the last few seasons. Both have achieved successive promotions and both fell to Kerry in last year's All Ireland qualifier series. Both will be eyeing up their respective provincial championships and each will want to use this Saturday's Divisional Final as an opportunity to get ready for the summer.

Last year Sligo won the Division 4 final, by 2 points. That one win over Antrim was bookended by two Saffron victories in the round robin league series in 2009 and 2010 - arguably the more important fixtures. This season's league final takes on more significance in part because both teams have moved up a Division and partly due to the venue. It is not often that Antrim, or indeed Sligo, feature at headquarters and the players and supporters alike will relish the occassion.

For my money, Antrim have made more progress than the Yeatsmen in recent years, and the manner in which we secured promotion was blotted only by a 1 point defeat to Offaly (the last fixture not to feature the St Galls men) and a 2 point reversal to Wexford when promotion was already secured. Those two defeats came at either end of a imperssive and crushing home win over Louth. Truth is if we don't take the league title on Saturday night we will actually have lost three from the last four competitive matches. For that reason alone, and because winning is a positive habit, it is important to beat Sligo on Saturday.

With Michael Magill back and an almost full squad to choose from (only Kevin Niblock is ruled out) Antrim should prove too strong. Michael and Thomas McCann, along with James Loughrey should enjoy the wide open spaces of Croke Park and will hopefully run at the Sligo defence from early on.

Silverware would be a just reward for the work the squad has put in, a Croke Park victory over Div 2 opposition would be a notable step forward for our county.

We travel with hope, and with justifiable optimism.

We're on the one road......

Coming from one of the few genuine dual counties in the GAA Antrim fans are no strangers to Croke Park, our hurlers in particular having featured at HQ on a fairly regular basis since the late 1980s. However heading down Jones' Road to see the saffron footballers was once a novelty, with a gap of almost 20 years separating the 1989 league quarter final appearance V Kerry, and the 2007 Tommy Murphy final.

Since '07 when the final V Wicklow was lost we turned the tables in '08 in the last ever TMC final and now, in 2010 we will be back again at Croke Park, and again chasing a national title, the Division 3 NFL, with Sligo in opposition. The big, big days seem to be inching closer and closer.

These days at matches I am typically accompanied by two sons (the youngest one hasn't qualified for a travel permit yet) and they are quite accustomed to (i) seeing Antrim in Croke Park and (ii) seeing Antrim in finals. In their few years supporting the saffrons next Saturday will be their 5th (fifth!!) 'final'. Eight and six 6 year olds don't make value judgements on the TMC and rightly so.

The occassion should be a big one, and let's hope that Antrim fans travel in numbers for the Division 3 final. Hopefully the GAA centrally will put a bit of a marketing push behind the finals weekend and we have an evening to remember. The hard work of this league has already been done and while it would be terrific to lift the trophy, the achievement of successive promotions is already huge. Two seasons ago the team stumbled at the end of a Div 4 campaign which had promised but didn't deliver. We have a come long way since then.

Next year's league will see Antrim playing Derry, Laois, Tyrone, Meath, Kildare, Sligo and Donegal. None of those teams are to be feared and many of them offer challenges to relish.

In May the serious business begins, before that one last league hurrah for 2010 and where better to have it than Pairc an Chrocaigh. It will be our visit to headquarters of 2010. First of many??

Antrim V Wexford, NFL Div 2

While we muse on the fate of our hurlers - whose form and status is surely somewhere in the middle of where the doom merchants have us, and the inappropriately over optimistic Dinny has us - and await the final round of football league matches, let's look back at what I think was the last time we played Wexford in a league game.

I'll get off to a poor start here because I can't remember the exact date, or for that matter the year. At times like this I wish I had picked up my Dad's habit of collecting and saving the programme from every match he was at. I suspect the year was towards the end of the 1980's and, like this weekend, it was an away fixture which was set to have a bearing on that year's promotion race. The league record of Antrim teams from that era was quite positive, although always and rightly overshadowed by perennial failure in the championship. We were good then - and the team of that era included players like Lenny Harbinson, Stephen Mulvenna, Chris Murphy, Paul McErlean, Enda McAtamney, Locky McCurdy amongst others.

The team reached a national league quarter final which was lost famously to Kerry in Croke Park in 1989 (surely some sort of 'wonder year' for Saffron fans?) and I think the match against the model county was in or around that era. In the late 80's we also had notable league victories against Mayo and Meath in Casement, and I think we went through one league season unbeaten only to fall in a promotion play off against Tyrone. Good times, good days out and a good team too.

A few of us hardy souls headed down to the Wexford game, which formed the centrepiece of a Sunday Tribune article on the fortunes of Antrim and team manager Eamonn Grieve. The journalist noted those at the majority of support amongst the sparse crowd came from Antrim. The feature concluded with the suggestion that Antrim were on the verge of making a Championship breakthrough. Unfortunately that turned out to be a decade early and indeed on the day we lost the Wexford game, by a narrow margin and like many other games involving the Saffrons it was one we could have won.

Back to the present day and the possible permutations of this weekend have received plenty of column inches and unfortunately much of it is incorrect. The Irish Times, the GAA's official website and the A'Town News all have Antrim promoted already - we would like to think that is the case but it is not official yet. Quite simply a win or draw means we are up no matter other results. Should Sligo fail to beat Roscommon (already relegated) then we are up no matter how we fare against the model county. If the Yeatsmen win then we will be promoted so long as we don't fall to a 11+ points defeat - and indeed in those circumstances Sligo would need a similar scale win to deprive us of our second successive promotion.

However all of this should be academic. The present Antrim team is capable of turning in a performance which will account for Wexford and leave them battling for second spot. Our team has come too far and is simply too good to leave promotion behind at this stage. Still, radios at the ready.

No teams news yet - but it is hard to see wholesale changes from the team which dismantled Louth.

Antrim V Down, NHL Div 2

As one Antrim team makes its way towards Division 2 of the NFL, it is to be hoped that the other senior inter county representatives don't head in the opposite direction. There is a real danger, following last weekend's defeat to Westmeath, that our hurlers could end up in a relegation battle. The permutations are multiple, but to put it as simply as possible, if we beat neighbours Down in Casement on Sunday, we'll be safe in Div 2 for another year. Lose the derby match and we will be in real danger of heading to Mayo, Armagh and Meath for games next year in Div 3. The vagaries of the 'head to head' system for separating teams finishing level on points means that we could wind up looking for something in Wexford to maintain our Div 2 status. That is not a prospect o relish.

Dinny is reported in this morning's Irish News as saying that he is happy with the league so far, that it has given him an opportunity to experiment with players and positions. The team has been hampered with the absence of St Gall's players to date, although Karl Stewart is due to return for Sunday's encounter. Straight red cards for Liam Watson (against Laois) and Shane McNaughton (V Westmeath) deprives the management of those two players who are serving bans.

Even during his first term as manager Cahill paid scant attention to the league, with the winter and spring work on the training field all aimed at a peaking at Championship time. If we bow out of Div 2 hurling and make little impact against Offaly on May 30th the season will be regarded in very poor light.

However there is another side to the story which shows that (i) we ran Clare very close in our best league performance to date, (ii) we lost to Westmeath by 1 point, (iii) victory over Carlow should be seen in a new light following their win over Clare, (iv) in Paul Shiels amd Neil McManus we have two young hurlers who continue to shine very brightly. Does all of that point to the resurrection of our league campaign this Easter Sunday? I'm keeping the faith, and saying yes.

In football news, Michael Magill continues to make good progress on his hamstring injury although he is unlikely to be back for the Wexford game next Sunday and the Division 3 final seems a more realistic target.

Club Aontroma is planning a business / fndraising breakfast with Liam Bradley on April 23rd, in the Wellington Park Hotel. If you want to have 'Breakfast with the Baker' visit the website, www.clubaontroma.com and get in touch.

Saffrons in touching distance of successive promotions

Tonight Antrim sit on top of Division 3, well ahead of the field and in touching distance of promotion to Division 2 of the National Football League. That felt good to type, so I'll do it again. On top of the pile, ready for Division 2 next year and the summer laid out before us. There has never, in the modern era of Gaelic Games, been a better time to be an Antrim supporter. It feels good.

Tonight Louth came to Belfast with hopes of blowing the promotion race wide open by beating Antrim in Casement. They got their answer in a sublime period of 20 minutes or so with which the Saffrons opened up. That period, described by Antrim boss Liam Bradley as champagne football, was the best I have seen from an Antrim team. Antrim powered into a 5 point to no score lead after 10 minutes, with Michael McCann and Kevin Niblock - the most effective of the St Galls quartet who started the game - in dominant form. Louth hit a goal to put an unrealistic look on the scoreboard. That was followed by 2 saffron goals in the space of two minutes from Paddy Cunningham and Justin Crozier. By the 25th minute we led Louth - our nearest rivals in Division 3 - by ten points. The game was over.

The intensity levels reduced in the second half and there was only ever going to be one winner. In all 6 St Galls men saw action with Terry O'Neill, Anto Healy, Sean Kelly and Niblock starting. Niblock had a very effective game until his injury while the two McCanns, Thomas and Michael, along with James Loughrey raised their game way way above Tullamore levels. Justin Crozier was back in the team tonight and was very steady, while Tony Scullion and Healey especally, made big contributions to the win.

Michael Magill has to return from injury and considering the boys left out tonight (Deaghlan O'Hagan may feel hard done by) we surely have the best squad of players representing the county in the living memory.

Mathematically promotion is not certain yet, but Offaly lost tonight which means that only Wexford and Sligo are capable of equalling our ten point haul, and that assumes we don't add to that with victory in Wexford in a fortnight. On tonight's show, I think that's unlikely. It may well come down to points difference but as the table shows, our points difference is unassailable.

Antrim will be in Division 2 next year. That's two promotions in a row, that's a successful Gaelic football team.

What a difference a point makes

Last weekend both Antrim senior teams lost crucial league games by a solitary point. From what I hear of the Casement clash with Clare, the hurlers improved on their performance against Laois the previous week by 100% and were unlucky not to at least draw the game. Against Offaly in Tullamore the footballers were undone through injury to key personnel and an all round below par performance. How damaging were the defeats? As it happens the hurlers were already unlikely to be at the business end of the promotion hunt from Division 2 of the national hurling league. Performances are certainly more important than results for Dinny's men and this performance was encouraging. They should pick up two points on the road this weekend against Westmeath.

The footballers already have 8 points to their name and that cushion means that despite defeat to the faithful county, the Saffrons remain on top of Division 3 and in charge of their own destiny when it comes to promotion.

How they grasp that nettle with two games to go will in many ways define this team's record in the national league. Do they re group, keep focus and claim a second successive promotion? Or might a mental fragility come into play, as it did in 2008 when failure to glean a measly point against Waterford or Tipperary kept us rooted in the basement of the league and set the development programme back a season?

There is too much evidence in support of the former view. The clinical way in which we beat Fermanagh and Cavan by double scores, the ferocious determination to hold onto a 1 point win against Sligo and a narrow victory over Roscommon, allied to the 'bounce' the county experienced through St Gall's all Ireland win, all points to a win over Louth this coming Saturday. Indeed the return of up to half a dozen St Gall's men to the panel this week opens options for the management team in practically every sector of the field.

There is a lot of talk about this weekend's match, the most important league game in memory. Expect a 'stand full' announcement long before throw in and remember that the Milltown men will be presented to the supporters prior to the throw in. If Antrim beat the wee county in the last home game before Tyrone come to town, it will make for a great night all round.

Club Aontroma will be selling ballots for £2 each (3 for £5.00), the prize on offer: £500. Proceeds go to support the development of games in our county. The Club Aontroma twitter feed will provide live match updates on Saturday.

Offaly 1.09, Antrim 1.08

Maybe it was fanciful to imagine that our footballers could cut a swathe through all other teams in Division 3, maybe we are destined to always leave Tullamore frustrated at what might have been, or maybe Antrim footall is being measured by a new standard these days. Whatever the causes behind today's performance, it was below par according to the 2010 standards.

Antrim's depth was tested today, we already knew that Michael Magill was injured,on top of that Justin Ctozier was taken ill this morning and couldn't play and Ciaran Close went off early in the second half. This was also our second consecutive away trip into the midlands, and maybe tiredness was a factor. Today's match was poor all round, both teams guilty of a multitude of missed passes and poor finishing. Antrim took some poor choices too, frees were rushed and poor judgement applied in too many passes. High balls into a small full foward line simply doesn't work.

Too many of our team were off form, Thomas and Michael McCann, Tony Scullion, Gerald O'Boyle and Conor Murray will all have better days. James Loughrey was playing deeper than he has been to date in this campaign and his runs weren't hurting the opposition like they have done. In an odd move, Paddy Cunningham didn't take this first free which was missed by Murray, Paddy then sent the next one straight over from a similar position.

There were some positives, the defence was solid again and Brendan Herron saw a lot of ball and scored one beauty point. Until his injury Ciaran Close was having an impact on the game, one early run almost leading to a goal. His injury was sustained in kicking Antrim's best score of the day.

The game turned on a penalty decision for the home team. Throughout the second half we were always 3 or 4 ahead, only once did Offaly point two in a row to reduce the defecit to 2 points. It was then that the referee awarded the spot kick which was as dubious as that Paddy Cunningham scored from in the first half. That Offaly goal was to be the last score of the game, we piled on the pressure but with no subtledy. Most disappointing during this period was a miss from Paddy from what was a difficult angle, but which in the past has yielded scores.

So the show moves on to Casement Park next Saturday night. We remain top of the league and it still highly likely that one more win would seal the promotion deal. Today was poor, a typical Division 3 standard game - the sooner we are out of it the better.

Antrim were well supported today, in a fairly sparse attendance.

On the journey down and back my kids insisted on playing Bruce's 'Working on a Dream' over and over. I didn't mind, I'm still working on mine.

Charge of the Galls

First off, mighty congratulations to Naomh Gall GLC. Their's was a wonderful achievement yesterday, the All Ireland win the result of a generation of hard work and committment. It was a skilful and determined display and the truth was they were never really bothered by Kilmurry IBrickane. Followers of the Saffron county will now wonder what positive impact the return of the St Galls players can have on a county team alerady in the middle of the most successful league campaign in two decades.

Ten of the St Galls team yesterday have, at one time or another, worn the saffron jersey of the Antrim football team in the past, seven of them were regulars in last season's run through the Ulster Championship and the qualifier defeat to Kerry. The question of the McGourty brothers and their return or otherwise to the county team is as yet, in public anyhow, unresoved. In interviews with two different Sunday papers Kevin and CJ have spoken in varying terms of their desire to return to county colours. Both are undoubted talents and have the potential to play key roles in the omngoing Antrim revival. It seems clear that Sean Kelly will return, having opted out last season, and we can expect Aodhan Gallagher, Andy McClean, Terry O'Neil, Kevin Niblock and team captain Colin Brady to take up the county mantle in coming weeks. Indeed for my money yesterday Paul Veronica was the star St Galls performer and he too could be looking at a county call up.

It is an issue which is not straightforward for Liam Bradley. We have been well served by the team to date and there would be a strong argument that the current squad should see out the natinoal league campaign, secure promotion and then re-group, Milltown men included, for the championship.

At the same time though it is a squad game, and while Antrim have been fortunate so far on the injury front, Michael Magill will have to be replaced for the next two games, and surely Kevin Niblock would be an ideal alternative in full forward? That issue sums up how best to regard the addition of the St Galls lads. Their return opens up options literally in every section of the outfield, and while a headache for Baker and co, it is a very positive issue to grapple with.

In games against Fermanagh and Roscommon Conor Murray and Kevin Brady have been amongst the subs used, and they have had an important say in those victories. That depth of talent available to Antrim is just about to get much, much deeper.

Our hurlers take on Clare on Sunday at Casement, on the back of a disappointing outing against Laois last week. They too will be boosted by the return of Karl Stewart and Kieran McGourty who will significantly stregthen the hurling panel.

This writer will be in Tullamore on Sunday and providing regular updates via www.twitter.com/clubaontroma.

Everybody wants to be the man at the top

At half time in the Antrim V Roscommon match I took a phone call from Lawrence Smyth, the official county PRO. Lawrence was worried. Antrim were ahead by three points, but a man down (Dermot McCann having been sent off in the 26th minute), Michael Magill had left the field injured and we faced a stiff second half breeze. Lawrence was worried that three points wouldn't be enough.

He called again at full time. We had held on for a two point win in what he called "a battle royal." It was a welcome update.

Our footballers have now won two games by 8 points, one by a single point and last Sunday we won by two in very trying circumstances. We are winning tight games and open games. We are a winning team.

Liam Bradley has always maintained that 10 points would secure promotion from Division 3, and looking at the permutations, he is right in that assessment. If we win one more game then only Louth can possibly gather the points necessary to overhaul us - and we still have to play them on Saturday week. No other team can reach more than 10 points.

You get the feeling though that the current saffron team will not settle for scraping promotion, Antrim footballers are on a winning run and who is to say we won't finish the league campaign with a maximum haul of 14 points from 14? Momentum is a wonderful dynamic in sport and we have enough now to take us all the way to Tullamore, Wexford and back to Casement.

Next up - back to the scene of one of last year's great adventures, Offaly's county ground and a match against the faithful. We have every reason to be confident of a different scoreline.

Make mine a double double

One of the features of being a county which is genuinely competitive in both codes means that we occassionaly get a day when both our senior teams are in meaningful action. That is on the cards over the next two Sundays when our hurlers entertain Laois followed by Clare while our footballers hit the road and play Roscommon and Offally over successive weekends.

When both teams are in action, there is no more satisfying feeling than a double Saffron victory. That last happened in 2008, early in the season when our hurlers picked up the Walsh Cup in beating Offaly in a rain soaked Casement, and at the same time our footballers were accounting for Micko's Wicklow in Aughrim in the opening round of the league.

Roscommon have been described as the whipping boys of Division 3 and while they have lost 3 from 3, the last two of those defeats have been by the minimum amount. Antrim will take nothing for granted, but a repeat of the powerful display against Fermanagh should see the Saffron footballers return home with the unbeaten record intact.

Our hurlers have a very balanced record V Laois in recent years. Between the AI qualifiers, the Walsh Cup and the National League, we have played Laois 7 times in the last three seasons and the record is 3 wins, 3 defeats and 1 draw. Last year was typical - we took them by 5 points in the league but lost out in the All Ireland relegation series. That closeness in form makes Sunday hard to call, but our record is a perfect two wins from two so far and with home advantage that should read three from three by sunday evening.

The following weekend's fixtures are harder still, but for now we will settle for the first part of an Antrim double double.

Getting used to these 8 point victories

There was a certain synchronicity to tonight's win for Antrim footballers over Femanagh. We led by double scores at half time, 08 - 04, and at full time, 0-16 - 0-8 and for the second time in a row Antrim won a Division 3 match against Ulster opposition by 8 points. That's a good nights work whatever way you look at it.

And yet there was almost a feeling of anti claimax about this game. The crowd was as big as I can remember for a league game (The Stand was declared full 5 mins before throw in), the pitch looked great and the floodlights make for real sense of occassion. But Fermanagh were poor. Poor enough that this was never the tight, exciting end to end game some of us had envisaged.

Once Antrim settled into the game it was rarely in doubt. Antrim really have moved up a gear over the last year. There are features of the Antrim game now which we almost take for granted, like ferocious defending and tackling, terrific high fielding from Michael McCann, a beauty of a point from Kevin O'Boyle, powerful running from Loughrey and Thomas McCann, Paddy's accuracy from frees. Well we can now add Michael Magill magnetic aura, whenever the ball is in the general vicinity of our strong full forward he gathers it in. His handling may let him down at times but he has great strength and he showed tonight an eye for a point.

Some of the Antrim scores were terrific, especially our third and fourth in the first half, and the four of five with which we saw out the game. Loughrey scored probably the pick of our points, finishing of a move which he had started in the half back line by taking a return pass and splitting the posts right down the middle. Michael Pollock and Conor Murray came off the bench to show that we already have strength in depth even before the return of players from all Ireland club finalists, St Galls.

We lacked a goal tonight which would have enlivened the large crowd, but that is a minor quibble.

Three wins out of three, we are now genuine promotion candidates, with plenty to look forward to this year. Club Aontroma had a good night too, doing brisk business with ballot sales, and I even got bought a half time cup of tea! Life is good for the Saffrons!

Moving up the gears

The inter county season is well and truly underway, and as a dual county we are facing into a run of weekends of crucial games for both our footballers and hurlers, both teams having notched two wins in their opening two games.

Antrim footballers play Fermanagh on Saturday evening under floodlights and in the three successive weekends afterwards both the hurlers and footballers are in action. Any diehard supporter who attends the full suite of county games will find themselves in Tullamore, Roscommon, Westmeath, Wexford and of course Casement before the season is out. Some unfortunate fixture scheduling means that our most attractive hurling fixture - at home to Clare - clashes with what will hopefully be a vital promotion seeking football game V Offally in Tullamore on 21st March. I understand that any appeal to the CCC to bring the Clare game forward by a day would meet with a point blank refusal, so a choice will have to be made on the day.

It is a problem which those counties dedicated to one code only don't have to contemplate, but I'd sooner be in our position than theirs.

We'll have a closer look at the Fermanagh game closer to the weekend.

Three out of three ain't bad

Our senior teams in both codes have now notched up three wins out of three, and obviously you can't get better than 4 points from 4 (football) and 2 from 2 (hurling). With our hurlers taking on Kildare this coming weekend they will in all likelihood have matched the footballers opening two results by the time Sunday rolls around. Then we will face into a much tougher task when Fermanagh footballers come to Casement on 6th March.

Last weekend the victory over Carlow was much more narrow than this blog predicted. Apart from the opening salvo there was no stage where the Saffrons pulled away or looked anything like a comfortable side. To be fair there were mitigating factors, including the weather and the tenacity and determination of the Carlow side, and they had some decent hurlers too.

Antrim have taken on the mantle this season of the team that traditionally 'weaker' hurling counties such as Carlow, Kildare, Kerry will want to beat; we are their benchmark. Expect no different attitude from the Lillywhites on Sunday, by the same measure we should expect the same outcome as last weekend, another Saffron victory. There are harder days ahead, but getting through the hundrum fixtures is crucial too.

St Galls carry the hopes of the county too on Saturday evening, lets hope they get past Corofin and stamp St Patrick's Day as one to note for Saffron followers.

Return of the prodigal coach

Anyone who thought up to now that Dinny Cahill's committment to coaching Antrim could be measured in road miles (171 miles round trip from home to Belfast) can now think on, when Dinny arrives home, his right hand man and physical coaching Bobby Thornhill has an additional 70 odd miles to go. Hopefully our hurlers will take inspiration from that level of committment.

Tomorrow the national hurling league Division 2 campaign begins at home to Carlow. If we want to measure where exactly we stand, Carlow offer a good yardstick. In 2006 we brushed them aside in the Christy Ring Final, in 2009 fortunes had reversed far enough that they beat us in the league. Tomorrow they travel to Antrim HQ with confidence bolstered by a Walsh Cup Shield win over the Saffrons last weekend. In the NHL last year our opening home game against Wexford provided the highlight of the Casement action for the year (remember all of our football champsionship games were away from home) when our hurlers recovered from an appalling start to run out winners after the mother and father of all comebacks. The hurlers were cheered off the pitch that day, and to be honest, that was as good as 2009 got.

The current squad is an interesting one. We will be missing the St Galls hurlers for at least this opening game and the Dunloy contingent are not due back until next weekend at the earliest. We are likely to see the return of Johnny McIntosh and Liam Watson at some stage and between them and Eddie McCLoskey we will gets scores.

Carlow have improved, no doubt. Will Antrim? We should begin to learn the answer to that questino tomorrow.

A Saffron win - by 4 or 5 points.

Its a long way to Breffini Park

Two seasons ago Tipperary footballers pipped Antrim to promotion out of Division 4 of the National Football League. Last year they followed that up with promotion to the second tier of Gaelic Football's secondary competition. At the moment Antrim footballers sit atop Divison 3 with 2 wins out of 2, and while everybody wants to be the man at the top, we have to be cautious about 'doing a Tipperary' just yet.

On Saturday night I set out on the road to Breffini Park. My travelling companion was 9 years old, and his brother aged 8. Its a long way. Very long. And it was cold. Very cold. Freezing cold by the time the match ended. And it was worth every second.

Antrim had lots of early possession but some very poor shooting in the first half saw us fall behind early, 2 points to 1. Too many shots fell into the keepers hands. After about a quarter of the game it was 3 points apiece with our scores all coming from the fist or boot of Paddy Cunningham. The first half meandered along until a two goal exchange which left Antrim two points adrift, our goal courtesy of a Thomas McCann snapshot. That deficit was made up by half time with a fine Michael McCann point from long distance effort making the sides level by half time.

The second half began with a 10 minute period of Cavan dominance which proved to be their last and which yielded only 1 point. After that Brendan Herron and Michael McCann took over the midfield and won the lion's share of possession in that sector. Antrim dominated the final third of the game and some of our points in that period were sublime. When Thomas McCann and James Loughrey started their pacy runs the Cavan defence simply had no answer. Loughrey was putting in an effort in the final minutes which would been suited to a knife edge, in the balance contest.

This was no knife edge affair and when Michael Magill scored Antrim's second goal the game was effectively won. The Saffrons saw out the game in comfort, retaining possession and taking scores seemingly at ease. Best for Antrim were the midfield, Loughrey, T McCann, Cunningham, Crozier, Scullion and O'Hagan. But in truth this was massive team / squad triumph.

So, its 2 wins out of 2, a 100% league record so far. Next up for Antrim footballers is Fermanagh, on the 6th March in Casement. Come and support them - they deserve it.

Did I mention how cold it was?

Cavan V Antrim

Lights, action!

Tomorrow night, Saturday, at 7.30pm Cavan host Antrim in Breffini Park.

It is an important game for both sides, each of whom are coming off opening weekend wins in Division 3 of the NFL. Cavan posted an impressive 2-20 away to Roscommon while the Saffrons battled impressively to hold on to a single point win at home to last year's Division 4 champions, Sligo.

Antrim have a respectable record over Cavan in recent years. On top of last year's glorious Ulster semi final win, we have also beaten them in the McKenna Cup and drawn a league game in Breffini three seasons ago. Of course they accounted for our Championship hopes in 2008.

Still missing the St Gall's contingent, Antrim will be looking to Michael McCann, Crozier, Loughrey, Scullion, Magill (if fit) and Cunningham to lead the way. Kevin Brady and Ciaran Close can also play an important role under the Breffini spotlights.

Can we win? Well, its hard to say how good Cavan were last week, or how poor the Rossies performance must have been. Tomorrow night will tell a tale and give a firm indication whether or not promotion is a genuine hope.

It will be a difficult encounter. I can see us leaving there having not been beaten, and even a share of the spoils would be a welcome addition to our early points tally.

Here's hoping.

What can you learn in 20 minutes?

For reasons best consigned to history I only made it to Casement for the last 20 (+4) minutes of yesterday's win over Sligo. It was the result Antrim fans were hoping for and represents a very solid start to the campaign to get out of Division 3.

There were other eye catching results in our Division which will help us gauge the extent of the job in hand - Fermanagh lost in Tullamore, complete with two St Galls players on board; Cavan notched 2 - 20 in their win over Roscommon and Louth beat Wexford. It is hard to see one team racing clear of all the others although next Saturady evening in Breffini Park will tell us a lot about the Saffron's chances of promotion.

Antway, returning to the questin I set myself at the head of this blog. What can you learn in 20 minutes?

That Antrim's determination to hold on for the win was commendable
That Paddy Cunningham's confidence continues to increase and his final point of the day was exlempary
That Justin Crozier and Tony Scullion commanded the half back line admirably under big pressure towards the end of the game
That the referee was simply wrong in a number of the decisions he gave in Sligo's favour
That Thomas McCann remains a dangerous ball carrier
That Antrim are attracting bigger and more vocal crowds than before
That Michael McCann is one of the best players in Ulster

That list will do for now. Imagine if I'd gotten there any earlier??

Home front opens on Sunday

The National League is upon us and Antrim footballers begin life in Division 3 this coming Sunday at Casement Park at 2pm. It is a tough start, remember that Sligo came out of Division 4 last year, beat us in the divisional final and enjoyed a strong qualifier outing against Kerry before losing narrowly in the end. Sounds familiar doesn't it?

Sligo's one league defeat in Div 4 last year was in Casement Park, when the Saffrons beat them comfortably by 5 points. With only three home games this season and four on the road, a good start is essential if Antrim are genuinely to push for promotion again.

The Antrim panel is short the St Gall's contingent and that is a drawback, but the McKenna cup panel will be boosted by the return of university / college players Thomas McCann, Justin Crozier and Deaglain O'Hagan. McCann featured prominently for UUJ in their one point win over QUB yesterday and looks to be in good form.

If we manage to avoid the type of slow start we had in all three McKenna Cup games, the Saffrons can push on and win this one.

In reality the season starts here, see you all on Sunday.

Saffrons and students

There have been a few occassions in recent years when Antrim's senior footballers and hurlers have been in action on the same day, the rare event is when they both win, and the 24 January will not be added to that meagre list.

The footballers could only progress to the semi final of the McKenna cup through an unlikely set of results which included our winning today V Queen's University by a significant margin. The management of the team wisely said in the run up to this afternoon's game that a win was the important thing, no matter what else happened. It was a tight affair with both Justin Crozier and Declan O'Hagan showing well for the students, while for an under strength Antrim side James Loughrey again showed up very well as did old stagers McGreevy in goals, Kevin Brady and Ciaran Close. Trailing by five at the break Antrim hit five in a row to draw level and with the signigicant assistance of Paddy Cunningham sprung from the bench, we traded points with Queen's before easing ahead as injury time began. Antrim held out for the win, and it was deserved. One notable feature of our play was the work rate and the 'hassle factor' of our half forwards, not letting the ball out easily is now an Antrim habit and today brought about two consecutive points at important stages.

Tougher battles will follow and its not all eyes on the league game v Sligo two weeks from today.

Two years ago our hurlers won the Walsh Cup, in what turned out to be the highlight of the Sambo / Woody reign. This year the Dubdlin students turned the tables and delivered a big defeat. Details are short but whatever way you look at it a 4-20 - 3-10 reverse is a poor result. Again, the league is what really matters and we look forward to the first game v Carlow a month from now.

Today the saffrons took on the students in both codes, the footballers have been found to be getting results while our hurlers, must do better.

A good start in the Casement air

The last time Antrim footballers beat Derry was - from memory - about a dozen or fourteen years ago. I was there, an away league match somewhere in south Derry, and we 'stole' the game with two late goals. That's about all I can remember.

That long gap between victories was ended today with a one point win over the Derry men in the opening round of the McKenna Cup. The match started like it might run away from the saffrons, Derry racing into a 5 point lead after 15 minutes. But as they say, goals win matches, and we scored 3 of them in the course of the game. There were flaws for sure, scorable frees which were dropped into the keepers hands, some very bad passes and one line ball sent straight over the line again. But there was also a determination to not let the game go and some of the returning players such as Michael Magill made an decent impact.

Paddy Cunningham was very effective, especially in the first half, while James Loughrey got through a tremendous volume of work. He put in a couple of inspirational tackles late on which helped stall an emerging Derry recovery.

Dara Edwards made an impact on his introduction after about 25 minutes and Michael McCann picked up where he left off last summer, his goal was especially well taken.

So in the last 5 competitve outings we have beaten Cavan, Donegal and now Derry. Hopefully the list of Ulster counties to be feared by Antrim is dwindling to zero.

This was the biggest crowd I have seen in Casement for a McKenna Cup match and hopefully that level of support will increase as we approach the all important National League.

A good start is a half the battle, today Antrim's footballers had a good start.

Reasons to be cheerful

So here we are a few days away from the beginning of another intercounty GAA season. In the past McKenna Cup has not exactly set saffron pulses racing but I think we can expect that a decent sized crowd will turn up in Casement this Sunday at 1pm in what is the football team's first competitive outing since 26th July 2009.That day in Tullamore we almost pulled off the GAA shock of the decade, and travelling the long road home the feeling was one of pride mixed with disappointment.

Last year the prelimary competition saw us losing all three games, with the defeat to Queen's University a particularly heavy one. So we wont predict the future of 2010 on the basis of Sunday's result or the overall performance in the McKenna Cup. but victories are better than defeats so let's hope we get a result and a positive performance.

Reasons to be cheerful in 2010:

1. We haven't lost as many players to colleges this season so our football team should be more coherent as we approach the league.

2. We are missing the St Galls players but for a damn good reason! Imagine them winning the all Ireland club title and those players (we'll leave the question of how many for another day) coming into the squad as we approach the last round of Division 3 matches, just in time to help clinch promotion!

3. Even without the St Galls and university players our football squad already looks strong on paper - and I realise thay gaelic games aren't played on paper.

4. Dinny's back! Hopefully the senior hurling squad can show a dedication to training and playing that matches that of our prodigal coach.

5. In drawing Offaly in the Leinster Hurling Championship we at least come up against a team whcih does not present a psychological hang up. We can and do beat Offaly from time to time.

So if the sight of a saffron jersey lifts your spirits and the sight of a winning Antrim team puts a spring in your step, bookmark Saffron First and let's enjoy 2010.