SEVEN Antrim hurlers have been named on the Joe McDonagh Cup Team of the Year including Gerard Walsh, Ciaran Clarke and Keelan Molloy who have picked up their second, having been selected in 2020.

Ryan Elliott, Joe Maskey, Eoghan Campbell and Conal Cunning have also made the 2022 team, with further Ulster representation coming from Down's Daithí Sands who was previously honoured in 2019.

Antrim regained the McDonagh Cup earlier this summer, coming through a thrilling final against Kerry with the Kingdom winning four of this year's awards, but naturally, the Saffrons lead the way as winners.

Walsh was at his old school, St Mary's CBGS, on Wednesday along with former past pupils and Antrim team-mates Conor Johnston, Stephen Rooney, Daniel McKernan and brothers Michael and Aaron Bradley, plus Cairbre Ó Cairealláin - Limerick's strength and conditioning coach - to chat to some of the school's young hurlers and they brought the McDonagh and Liam MacCarthy Cups along with them.

The Rossa man says he was delighted to have been named on the team of the year and while Antrim retained the Division One status and booked a return to the Leinster Championship for 2023, he felt they could do better again.

"It's a nice way to finish the year," he said.

"Looking back, the year didn't go exactly the way we would have wanted as we only won in and around 50 per cent of our games, so that's something we will look to rectify next year."

Antrim will host Dublin and Kilkenny in next year's Leinster Championship round robin, with away days in Wexford, Galway and Westmeath.

They will also have home advantage against the Cats, plus Tipperary and Laois, in the National League and away games against the Dubs and Waterford, so it makes for a very exciting 2023 for players and fans alike.

"We'll be looking forward to it, as we do all the games, but we're just happy to be back up in Leinster and hopefully we can go a bit better this time than we did in 2021," said Walsh, referencing last year when the Championship was a simple knockout format.

"We'll have no excuses this time and I think everybody is really looking forward to putting the shoulder to the wheel and getting on with it. Personally, I'm looking forward to it and hopefully, it turns out to be a good year."

Antrim put up a fine challenge to Cork in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final one week after defeating Kerry in the McDonagh Cup final.

A late scoring burst from the Rebels put a bit of a gloss on the scoreboard, suggesting Antrim may not be as far away from the elite teams as before.

"In ways we are and in ways we're not," Walsh pondered.

"League tables don't lie and scoreboards don't lie, so we are still a bit off it. 

"We'll be doing the best we can to get up to those teams and enjoy the process. It will be a full year at the top flight and something everyone will relish."