Davy Fitzgerald choked back the tears in Tullamore on Sunday when asked if he would return as Antrim manager for 2026.

The Clare man was appointed for a two-year term, with the option of a third, but in the wake of his team's defeat to Offaly on Sunday, which resulted in relegation from the Leinster SHC back to the Joe McDonagh Cup, he was not intending to make any rash decisions.

This time last year, the Sixmilebridge native stepped away from the Waterford job after two years in what was his second stint with the Deise, citing the travel commitments as a major factor. It's a long way from Clare to Antrim and those miles clocked this year will have taken a toll, but so too will the disappointment of this year's championship, where the record stood as played five, lost five.

On Sunday, Antrim didn't get any breaks with Niall O'Connor sent off after just eight minutes and Offaly awarded a penalty, from which they scored their second goal, following soon after. 

Yet, despite the adversity, Antrim battled and stayed in the game to an extent that with five to go, they were just one adrift despite playing into a strong wind.

In the end, it didn't work out and the sombre mood of Antrim's players as they made their way to the O'Connor Park dressing rooms told the tale of heartbreak and a dawning they must once again claw their way back into the top bracket.

Whether Fitzgerald will lead them will be decided and on Sunday, emotions came to the fore when that question was put to him.

"I just want time," he said.

"I'm just really proud of them today, they did so well. I couldn't be prouder of him. I'm just absolutely shattered right now.

"I'm just going to take a bit of time myself and just relax. I keep saying to you after Waterford last year, I was done. I knew I was done after Waterford last year.

"But a friend who has been very good to me, very good to me, persuaded me to come up to Antrim and never regretted it. I just need a bit of time. I'm not saying I won't. I'm not saying that.

"I think you can tell by me I'm just absolutely beat, I'm just tired. So just... we'll see what happens and see what the story is."

In the build-up to Sunday's game, Fitzgerald came in for some criticism in quarters, including from Terence McNaughton, former Antrim hurling All-Star and manager.

The Cushendall man urged Fizgerald to ‘cut out the bulls**t' in terms of some post-game comments throughout the year and those were not lost on the Antrim boss who responded on Sunday.

"I have good time for 'Sambo' (McNaughton), I'm just so disappointed in him," he replied.

"He was in management, probably didn't do great. I have so much respect for him and I'm just so disappointed in what he did. 

"He's entitled to his opinion but it doesn't show class. It's the same with anything you do. I'm not going to say anything bad about him because I'm just disappointed in him.

"It doesn't need that, we're trying our absolute best, so we don't need the likes of that but he's entitled to his opinion."

Some of those comments alluded to by McNaughton were centred on Fitzgerald's criticism of match officials throughout the year and although the big calls went against his team on Sunday, he was not in a rush to point the final at referee Michael Kennedy as a reason for defeat.

In a dogfight of a game, it was always going to be a tough battle between the teams who were scrapping for their lives.

Ultimately, it was Offaly who got over the line to keep their place at the top table, as Antrim's three-year stint in Leinster came to a close.

"Michael Kennedy didn't do bad," Fitzgerald opined. 

"I can't argue the sending off. I just thought that decision where we felt he took a lot out of the ball (hop ball prior to Offaly's third goal), he went down and he threw it in. He's probably seen what it is.

"It wasn't an easy game to ref, so the one thing we're definitely not going to do is we're not going to blame anyone else. We look at ourselves but I'm immensely proud of them.

"It's heartbreaking, we don't want to be going down. I honestly thought we were going to win today. That's just the way it is."