ANTRIM now know their opponents for next year’s League campaign and they’ve recent form against most of their Division Three rivals – good, bad and ugly.

The Saffrons were promoted from Division Four following Sunday’s seven-point win over Dungarvan and they’ll be joined in the third tier by Louth, who they defeated by a point in Haggardstown last month.

Either side of lockdown last season, Antrim defeated Limerick in Portglenone before suffering a 25-point hammering at the hands of Wicklow in Aughrim in their first game back.

They ended up in Division Four for four seasons after a last-day draw against Longford at Corrigan Park back in 2017 while they’ve also had plenty of run-ins with Fermanagh in the Championship in recent times.

Antrim claimed a rare Championship victory over Laois in 2015 while Westmeath will probably be the only unknown quantity for the Saffrons next year.

The fact that Ulster champions Cavan and last season’s Munster winners Tipperary have dropped down to Division Four probably makes Division Three look like a less daunting proposition for Antrim.

Odhran Eastwood, who plundered 1-5 against Waterford at Fraher Field, insists Antrim have every intention of making their presence felt in Division Three next year.

Oliver Lennon, Roy McLarnon and Declan Lynch celebrate last Sunday's win
2Gallery

Oliver Lennon, Roy McLarnon and Declan Lynch celebrate last Sunday's win

“We aren’t there to make up the numbers. We aren’t there to yo-yo up and down,” said Eastwood.

“We want to stay in Division Three at least and advance Antrim football.

“We’ll enjoy the feeling of being promoted from Division Four, but come next January or February, we’ll be looking to win games in Division Three.

“There is a belief in this squad that we are good enough to be there and it is up to us to prove it.

“Competition for places in the squad at the minute is frightening. Training is brilliant.

“Even when we lost Mick McCann to injury at the start of the season, that was a huge blow for us, but big Conor Stewart stepped in and he has been brilliant.

“You’d Eoghan McCabe coming in today and you’ve a lot of young lads coming through who were part of the U20 team that beat Derry in the Championship last year.

“All over the field, there are boys pushing hard for places in team and in the squad and that can only be a positive for Antrim.”

The Naomh Éanna sharpshooter scored the game’s only goal on Sunday – a quite remarkable feat considering just how many chances were created by both teams in the blistering heat.

Waterford goalkeeper Paudie Hunt made a stunning save at full stretch to deny Marc Jordan in the second half while Conor Murray also missed three goal chances for the Saffrons.

Antrim’s Luke Mullholland made a smart stop to deny Darragh Corcoran early on while full-forward Dylan Guiry hit the post in the first half.

However, when Eastwood got his chance inside the last 10 minutes, he made no mistake. Following good work from Niall McKeever and Adam Loughran in the build-up, Eastwood shuffled his way around Hunt before clipping the ball into the net to finally put the game beyond Waterford’s reach.

It also meant Antrim weren’t relying on an injury-time winner having defeated Louth, Sligo and Leitrim by one point in their Division Four North campaign and Eastwood believes those tight tussles stood to Enda McGinley’s men.

“I know in some of the games we were kicking ourselves for letting the likes of Leitrim and Louth back into it when we were on top,” said Eastwood.

“I think maybe those games stood to us. Even when we went seven points up in the early stages today (against Waterford), you know it won’t last and you have to be ready for the periods when teams come back at you.

“Waterford hit a few purple patches and that happens and you have to deal with it. I don’t think we ever panicked and we are well used to it.

“When the goal went in, it gave us a bit of breathing room - you could see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

He added: “It was tough in the heat, but it is probably ideal for a forward more than anything. It is great conditions for football, but you need the water breaks!

“It was hectic at times when you are chasing back. We’ve done enough work by ourselves throughout lockdown and since we’ve came back. You have to trust that the work is in the bank and you have it in the legs. It was tough, but we were able to deal with it.”

Eastwood also echoed sentiments made by Paddy Cunningham regarding working with Tyrone legend Stephen O’Neill this season.

The corner-forward has been in flying-form this season and is Antrim’s leading scorer with 2-16 in their four games to date with 2-7 coming from play.

He feels working with one of the game’s all-time greats can only benefit himself and the rest of the squad.

“If the likes of Stephen O’Neill comes in, a multiple All-Ireland winner and former Footballer of the Year, you try and take anything on board you can,” added the Naomh Éanna clubman.

“It is just wee snippets of things, where you want to run, where you want the ball played.

“It is more amount making the right runs and not running all over the show.

“Also, about where to shoot from. You take anything you can from him - his CV speaks for itself. When you’ve someone like that coaching you, you aren’t going to second-guess what he says.” 

With promotion in the bag, the Saffrons now turn their attentions to their Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final clash with Armagh at the Athletic Grounds on Sunday, July 4.

Kieran McGeeney’s men retained their top-flight status with an impressive 1-17 to 0-11 win over Roscommon in their relegation play-off in Armagh on Sunday afternoon.

The Orchard County will be strong favourites to progress to a provincial semi-final against either Monaghan or Fermanagh and Eastwood feels Antrim will relish being underdogs for next month’s Championship tie.

“You almost have to take the season in stages now,” said the St Enda’s attacker.

“Our main goal was to get out of Division Four and it has been for the last few years. We’ve got that monkey off our back now.

“Armagh have been playing very well in Division One this year. There probably isn’t going to be a lot of pressure on us going into the Championship.

“We’ve a good run of results behind us now and we’ll try and ride that wave and put in a performance and see what happens.

“It is going to be a huge challenge for us, but it is one we’re looking forward to.”