Allianz Hurling League Division One, Group B
Dublin v Antrim (Parnell Park, Sunday, 3.30pm, Live on TG4)

A LOOK at the recent run of head-to-head results between Antrim and Dublin does not make for good reading from an Antrim perspective, yet the Saffrons will not feel daunted heading to Parnell Park on Sunday as they aim to redress the balance and claim their first points of this year’s Allianz League.

The Dubs were winners in the Walsh Cup meeting in early January, but both teams will have a much different look this weekend and for a better guide as to the gap, last year’s corresponding League clash at Corrigan Park - exactly a year to the day this Sunday - is probably a better gauge.

As has been the trend, Dublin claimed the win, but that was a game where Antrim were left to rue a couple of mistakes and missed opportunities as the visitors won by four.

Mistakes and missed opportunities again proved an issue for Antrim in their opening game of this campaign at Corrigan Park on Saturday as they fell six points short of Kilkenny in a game where they just didn’t seem to click.

In fairness, dreadful second half conditions proved an added obstacle with shooting extremely tricky as the Saffrons began to enjoy a good spell, yet they just couldn’t maintain their momentum with Kilkenny finishing stronger to prevail.

Dublin came away from Dungarvan with a draw against Waterford in a ding-dong affair last weekend and their never-say-die attitude will have pleased new manager Micheál Donoghue as the Dubs battled back in stoppage time.

The Galway native has immediately looked to put his stamp on Dublin with a host of new faces involved, yet last week’s draw against the Déisi saw some familiar faces to the fire with Donal Burke landing what proved to be the game-saving score, while Cian O’Sullivan netted twice.

Strength in depth is a blessing for the Dubs who have plenty of talent at their disposal as they aim to push onto challenge for silverware and they have proven ability to match the top teams on their day.

Antrim have found the going tough against them in recent seasons with Dublin’s style of creating the overlaps to make space a conundrum they have yet to solve, but aside from the 2021 Leinster Championship meeting between the teams, they have fared quite well in spells of each meeting.

Turning performances into points remains the objective for Antrim and in front of the live cameras on Sunday, they will look to take what would represent a major step forward.

“I saw their team for Waterford and that is a good side,” noted Antrim manager Darren Gleeson.

“Micheál is putting his own stamp on it and the addition of Chris O’Leary from Cork in the middle of the field is some shove on.

“I now they’ve lost some key players in Chris Crummey and that, but they have talent with a serious minor and U20 system coming behind them.

“Micheál has a good 50 or 55 players to pick from, so it will be some challenge for us next week.”

Antrim were in free-scoring goal form during last year’s Joe McDonagh Cup, but opening up defences at the highest level is a much trickier task, as was proven last weekend against Kilkenny as they didn’t get a sight of goal all day.

They did hit the net twice at Parnell Park in early January and the target this Sunday will to get back amongst the goals, while finding their flow in attack across the board will be imperative.

Nigel Elliott is expected to be available this weekend and his powerful running could be an effective weapon to bolster the Antrim attack should he see game-time, but there remains plenty of options and all will be keen to deliver an improved showing than their opening game.

“We didn’t create any goal chances, so we have to look at that,” Gleeson accepted after the Kilkenny loss.

“It wasn’t that we play a sweeper or were trying to contain them; we just lost our shape chasing their new game. We ran everywhere after them into the corners and they worked their way out.

“It was triangles, triangles, movement and because of that we lost our shape and found ourselves out of position.

“Every team in the country is playing two men inside, so it’s eight 2-1-3 or a 2-4 - that’s the game of hurling has gone.”

There was no shortage of effort against Kilkenny, but things just didn’t seem to click ad perhaps that was due to the pressure put on.

They will face a similarly tough task this weekend so along with finding a better flow in attack, it is vital that unforced errors are cut out as hey prove fatal at this level.

It was mistakes that resulted in a narrow defeat against Dublin last year and also against Kilkenny, so cleaning those up and using the ball better is the target this week.

“There’s work-rate and endeavour, but it’s the slickness and coolness for them to do what we ask them to do,” Gleeson continued.

“There were some crazy passes hit back across into the centre of the field and we were punished for it. That’s something we’ll take on the chin as a management team and go work on it again.”