Allianz Hurling League Division One, Group B
Kilkenny v Antrim (Nowlan Park, Sunday, 1.30pm, live on GAA GO)
IT’S the ultimate test for Antrim on Sunday as they travel to Nowlan Park to face Kilkenny in their second League fixture, but will do so with a significant spring in their step following last weekend’s opening win over Clare.
Darren Gleeson’s charges proved they are well equipped for life in the top-flight as they claimed at deserved two-point win over the Banner that will give them much confidence for the challenges ahead.
They don’t come much bigger than Brian Cody’s Cats who also enjoyed an opening win with a 1-20 to 0-18 defeat of Dublin when the finished strong to claim victory.
Martin Keoghan was their standout on the day, but he is just one of many threats the Noresiders possess with household names throughout the team including Pádraig Walsh and Cillian Buckley to name a few.
Their win at Parnell Park did come at a cost with Richie Leahy hobbling off with a suspected hamstring injury, while TJ Reid is a notable omission from the match-day squad, but Kilkenny have plenty of able replacements so will prove formidable opposition for the Saffrons this Sunday.
However, this is exactly the type of challenge Antrim have wanted as they aim to establish themselves back at hurling’s top table.
Martin Keoghan had a huge game for Kilkenny in their win over Dublin at the weekend
“It’s a great place to go and play a hurling match,” said Antrim manager Darren Gleeson following the victory over Clare.
“It’s the best field in the country over the past two or three years, so it’s a great place to go and hurl - to pit yourself against the standard bearers for the past 20 years.
“This is why we fought hard last year to get up into Division One so we can play against these standard bearers.”
Antrim’s players will rightly have enjoyed their Clare win, but there is a long road still to travel in their quest to become a top force.
Nowlan Park is never an easy place to go and that is not just in terms of Antrim teams, as any opposition - regardless of ability - is guaranteed a stern test by a county that simply does not contemplate defeat in the Marble City.
Some commentators will view a single-digit loss as something of a moral victory for Antrim this weekend, but that is not their approach as they will travel south with the intention of taking something from the game.
That mentality was key in causing a stir at Corrigan Park last weekend so it will be the same again this time.
“They don’t need me or Johnny (Campbell), Gary (O’Kane) or Jim (Close) to do resets with them - they reset themselves and have a strong mentality,” Gleeson said of his players’ mental toughness that brought them success in 2020 and last weekend.
“They have that with their clubs here in Antrim where they believe they can beat anyone, so need to bring that into the saffron jersey.
“There are five other teams in the division we have to play, so you don’t go out with the attitude that you want to get to within 10 points or anything like. It’s nil-all at the start so that’s how we play it.”
Antrim manager Darren Gleeson has hailed the mental strength of his team
There may be periods where Kilkenny put on a run of scores, but Antrim’s task will be to find a response and create their own spells. When they do, they will need to be clinical as they were last weekend when they were guilty of hitting just five wides with three coming from over-hit passes or shots blocked out.
Antrim will travel with confidence but will know they can’t get carried away following the Clare victory as Kilkenny will be forewarned and absolutely forearmed.
They will have their own ambitions for pushing on this year as the rebuild of their squad continues with Paul Murphy (retired), Ger Aylward and Colin Fennelly (both opted out) not part of the season’s plans.
Therefore, the Cats will have many young players such as Eoin Cody keen to prove they are the future of the black and amber and that is measured by victories and impressive performances along the banks of the River Nore.
Antrim also have a group of players who are all keen for game-time and Gleeson believes that competition for a place on the team or match day squad will be their fuel as they prepare for a huge test of their credentials this week.
“The boys have to refocus now and recover so they configure out how they are going to get ready for next Sunday,” warned the Tipperary native.
“You can’t get to next Sunday without doing the work during the week as any complacency there, you see the squad of players we have and they are itching (to play).
“They’ll be angry, the boys who didn’t see pitch-time or make a jersey, so it’s over them to drive it for the week and we’ll deal with Sunday when it comes.”
KILKENNY: Darren Brennan; Tommy Walsh, Huw Lawlor, Paddy Deegan; David Blanchfield, Pádraig Walsh, Conor Browne; Richie Reid, Cillian Buckley; Liam Blanchfield, Eoin Cody, Martin Keoghan; James Bergin, Adrian Mullen, Alan Murphy.
ANTRIM: Ryan Elliott; Stephen Rooney, Gerard Walsh, Damon McMullan; Eoghan Campbell, Paddy Burke, Joe Maskey; Neil McManus, Keelan Molloy; Niall McKenna, James McNaughton, Michael Bradley; Conal Cunning, Conor McCann, Ciaran Clarke.
REFEREE: Sean Stack (Dublin)
