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.