Allianz Hurling League Division 1B; Antrim v Laois
(Corrigan Park, Sunday, 1pm, deferred coverage on TG4)

THE narrative for Sunday's make-or-break Division 1B clash between Antrim and Laois took a major turn during the week with confirmation of 12 of the Saffrons falling ill, but Davy Fitzgerald's side must find a way to at least avoid defeat to ensure they have a chance of survival.

Having grabbed a draw at Carlow last weekend, the mood was good in Antrim heading into this week, but the arrival of a gastric bug that has floored a dozen players has left everything upside down. But those who take the field know exactly what is required as defeat means they drop to Division Two.

As it stands, the Saffrons are one point above this weekend’s opposition and sit just inside the safety zone, so a win will give them some breathing space but not confirm their survival as Laois have two games in hand: a rearranged home fixture against Carlow and then finish up with Dublin the visitors to Portlaoise.

Should they come up empty-handed in Belfast, they would need to win both of those games to stay up - extremely tough but not impossible - but win this weekend and they will relegate Antrim, whose league campaign is concluded on Sunday.

A draw will also give Antrim a stay of execution, but could mean Laois just need one more point in those last two games to survive. What is all means is that Antrim really do need a win to give themselves the best chance - a task that has become much tougher given the week they've had.

So, it’s another high-pressured situation, but on in which Antrim are used to and have thrived in over the past few years as they have grabbed the wins on the final day of the Leinster Championship to survive two years in a row, won a League relegation playoff against Offaly in 2022 and in ‘23, did what they had to do at home to survive against Laois, so they will be planning for more of the same on another afternoon they must rise to the occasion.

They come into this game with a bit of a spring in their step having grabbed a draw away to Carlow last week when Gerard Walsh found the net with a last-gasp free, taking a point which could yet prove invaluable.

Against the Barrowsiders, Davy Fitzgerald’s men showed their fighting spirit and in good time as they had been coming off back-to-back losses.

“This was only about character for us,” Fitzgerald said after last week's draw.

“The game next week is the one, we know that. They (Laois) played Waterford, lost by nine or 10 and were very unlucky to lose that by nine or 10. I think (apart from) a soft goal, they would have been a lot closer to Waterford.

“Laois are a decent team - we know that. It’s either us or them. It’s a relegation battle. That’s the way it is and we know that.

“When you take a few hammer blows, your confidence gets dented. I’m actually really happy with what they’ve done today. That’s what we want, just that character. They’ve worked really hard. We’ve seen that today, fair play to them.

“Laois won’t have played a game for two or three weeks. They’re fresh out. We’re after playing two weeks in a row. They’re going to be gunning for us coming up there.

“We know what’s coming and we’ll be ready for it. It’s winner take all - that’s the bottom line.”

Laois will not just be fresher, but could have more options in terms of personnel depending on how many of the Antrim players have made a full recovery, which on the face of it, gives them an advantage.

To date, Tommy Fitzgerald’s men have picked up just one win from three, going down in that game against Waterford and they were also beaten by Offaly, while grabbing their sole win against the division’s basement boys, Westmeath who already know they are condemned to relegation.

Antrim must forget about their woes and find a performance on at least a par with what they delivered in Carlow when there were signs that things are now beginning to click.

To be fair, the new regime is just bedding in with players getting used to the new philosophy, so it was going to take a little time for the dial to move. But there was something quite refreshing about how the game in Carlow went as Antrim dug in and refused to leave empty-handed.

This week, they must build on that and dig in for 70-plus minutes, give it their all and see where that takes them as they seek to make the best of a bad situation.

U20s in Ulster final

Antrim’s U20s will hope to make it an Ulster double on Saturday when they host Down in the provincial final in Ballycastle at midday.

Micky McShane’s Saffrons have already accounted for the Ardsmen earlier in the competition and will hope to finish the job this weekend after the minors did just that last week.