ANTRIM'S footballers have been drawn in Group Four of the Tailteann Cup alongside Fermanagh, Wexford and Leitrim.

Andy McEntee's charges were a second seed in Tuesday's draw and will open with a home game against fourth seed, Leitrim, next weekend (May 13/14).

Next up for the Saffrons will be a trip to pot three's Wexford the following weekend before finishing up with a meeting against Fermanagh at a neutral venue on the first week of June.

That fixture is a repeat of their meeting in the National League when the Ernesiders came back from the dead to snatch a late winner at Corrigan Park.

Down are in Group Two and will have Meath, Tipperary and Waterford for company.

This year's competition is different to the inaugural version of last year as it begins with four groups of four, as opposed to the straight knockout format of 2022.

The four group winners will advance into the quarter-finals with the second-place teams to be drawn against either New York (given a bye from the group phase) or one of the three best-placed teams that came third in the group stage in a preliminary game with the four winners then making up the last eight of the competition.

Group 1: Cavan, Offaly, Laois, London
Group 2: Meath, Down, Tipperary, Waterford
Group 3: Limerick, Wicklow, Longford, Carlow
Group 4: Fermanagh, Antrim, Wexford, Leitrim

June 10/11: Preliminary Quarter-Finals
June 17/18: Quarter-Finals
June 24/25: Semi-Finals
July 15/16: Final