Joe McDonagh Cup, Antrim v Offaly
(Corrigan Park, Saturday, 2pm)

IT may only be Easter weekend, but the Championship gets underway with Antrim’s hurlers getting set to begin their bid for a return to the MacCarthy Cup when they host Offaly in game one of the Joe McDonagh Cup.

The Saffrons won the tier two competition just before Christmas in 2020, but their stay in the Leinster Championship was a short one, well beaten by Dublin and then a follow-up defeat to Laois in an All-Ireland Qualifier-relegation playoff left them back where they started after just 140 minutes back at the top table.

In an ordinary year, they would have had a series of games in a Leinster Championship played in a round robin format, but the disruption to the 2021 season due to Covid left the format for Championship brought back to an older version that gave Darren Gleeson’s charges no time to find their feet.

Having taken a few years to get back up to the race for Liam, it was a little dispiriting to slip back down so soon in the snakes and ladders world of Championship hurling with five different levels, but that set-back has not dented the desire to progress as they get ready for their first fixture at home to the Faithful this weekend.

“We’re very fortunate that the players we have are all level-headed and they just see the next game in front of them,” he said.

“As a management team, we look at the bigger picture all the time, but the players are really well grounded and focussed so all they see is Offaly this weekend and that’s the way it has to be.”

Antrim have already scored one big win over the Midlanders this year with a 2-24 to 2-17 win in a Division One relegation playoff seeing Antrim retain their top-flight League status for another year.

While Offaly were victors between the pair during January’s Walsh Cup, there was no argument that last month’s game was of much more significance given what was at stake.

Despite missing some key personnel, Antrim were very worthy winners and had they taken more than two of the numerous big goal chances, then the winning margin would have been a truer reflection on how that game went.

Gleeson anticipates Michael Fennelly’s side will travel to Belfast this weekend determined to put up a much stronger showing, so has urged his players to be a little more ruthless when the opportunities arise.

“The game in the league was a final for both teams,” he acknowledged.

“We were lucky to get the run on it that day, but there hasn’t been much between the teams. Offaly got the victory over us in the Walsh Cup so it’s one-all and we’ll see what happens in Corrigan on Saturday.

“The attitude of the players was spot-on that day and it was player-driven on the field.

“They saw the spaces open up in front of them and it’s about making the decisions in that moment. On the day, the boys did really well.

“We still only came away with two on that day and Offaly got two so if we get those chances again this weekend, we will have to be a bit more clinical.”

James McNaughton and David Kearney left the field injured that day and will join the likes of Damon McMullan, Niall McKenna, Michael Bradley and Neil McManus who remain unavailable for Saturday.

Conal Bohill and Deaglan Murphy are the only two who have recovered to put themselves back in contention, but Gleeson is confident that whoever starts will be more than capable of doing a job.

“A couple of years ago in the first McDonagh game against Westmeath, we were down a good few bodies but those who came in stepped up and kept the jersey for most of the year,” he recalled.

“That’s what we are looking for all the time. People will say ‘ah, you’re missing key players’ but everyone is a member of a panel and all are expected to contribute for us to be successful.”

Antrim go into this competition as many people’s favourites to go all the way and make that return to Leinster, but if past years have proven, it’s that there has been little between all the teams and comes down to who manages to build momentum and go on a good run.

The fixture schedule has been kind to the Saffrons with three home games and two away, with those at Corrigan Park against Carlow and Kerry after this weekend’s opposition, but that doesn’t make results certain.

A repeat of last month’s performance in Navan is the minimum that will be required this weekend and two points vital if Antrim are to put themselves in a good position to push on and make a charge at regaining the McDonagh Cup this year.

“It’s very important that you get a good start,” the Tipperary native stressed.

“In a 14-day period, we have three massive games: Offaly at home, Down away in an Ulster derby and then the following weekend it’s Carlow coming to town.

“If you don’t get the results in those 14 days, the competition is over for you, so it’s ruthless and all about getting a good start. If you don’t you’re playing catch-up and that’s not a situation you want to be in.

“Momentum is everything in any sport. Offaly will come up hurt after the League playoff and they will be wanting to get back to Liam MacCarthy hurling so they will come with a huge effort this weekend and we have to be ready for it.”