THERE aren’t too many people counting down the days to the 2023 Dr McKenna Cup, but new Antrim manager Andy McEntee says he can’t wait for the competition to begin.

The Meath native assumed the Antrim reins in mid-July after the Saffrons had parted ways with Enda McGinley, allowing him ample opportunity to run his eye over footballers throughout the grades during the club championships.

Impressed with what he has seen in those games and also on the training field since he assembled an extended squad of well over 40 players, McEntee admits he still doesn’t know what they can do in the cut-and-thrust environs of the inter-county game.

He will get that chance to see what those players can do once the 2023 season begins just days after the new year with the McKenna Cup set to begin in the first week of January with Antrim drawn in Group C alongside Armagh and Cavan (dates and venues to be confirmed with group games set for January 4, 8 and 11).

An edict from Croke Park has previously ended McEntee from arranging challenge games so it will be the stereotypical ‘new year, new start’ when the Saffrons take to the field in early January.

“I can’t wait for the McKenna Cup,” he confirmed at the recent launch of the county’s new sponsor, Fibrus.

“I would have been giving out about the O’Byrne Cup in Leinster, but I can’t wait for the McKenna Cup because I like what I see in training, but until I see fellas against their peers in inter-county games, I can’t fully judge.

“We got a letter from Croke Park saying no challenge matches before January 1. I don’t know what planet these people are living on because you have McKenna Cup on January 4 and another one (game) on the 8th and if you win that then you are out on January 15.”

McEntee guided his native county to two Leinster finals, Division One football in 2019 and also an All-Ireland minor final in 2012, whilst a stint with Dublin’s Ballyboden St Enda’s to an All-Ireland Club title in 2016.

After six years at the helm with the Royals’ seniors, he stepped down at the end of the last campaign and it was a pleasant surprise that he was unveiled as Antrim manager in such a short space of time, but in plenty of time to get his bearing in his adopted county.

“I’d hate to be just starting now because you wouldn’t know where to go, so we’ve been looking at games since the beginning of August,” he said of the club action.

“You have to give Donal Murphy (Antrim treasurer) a bit of credit there as himself and Ciarán (McCavana) got onto the scene fairly quickly and probably talked me into it in a weak moment.”

The big target for 2023 will be on gaining promotion in the League, which will take on even greater significance due to how the All-Ireland Championships are structured.

The ‘Green Proposal’ which was ratified back in February will see just 16 teams battle it out for Sam Maguire.

Those teams will be comprised of the eight provincial finalists plus the next eight based on league rankings with the remaining playing in the Tailteann Cup. Both competitions will see four groups of four.

A major flaw lies in what looks like a lopsided Connacht Championship draw with one of New York, Leitrim, Sligo or London guaranteed to reach the final and therefore gain entry to the race for Sam, meaning even promotion to Division Two may not be enough for Antrim to avoid the second tier competition.

“It’s huge,” McEntee said of the League.

“In a way, I think the way the Connacht Championship has been drawn out shows the whole folly of that system. It doesn’t make sense as even if things go well for us in the League, there’s no guarantee (will play for Sam Maguire).

“In many ways you have the tail wagging the dog here. The provincial system is broken and for a province with five counties to be dictating what happens at the expense of other counties, it doesn’t make sense. Our aim will be to get into Division Two and whatever it’s after that it is.”

Antrim looked well placed for back-to-back promotions at one stage this year as they made a great start to Division Three having been promoted from the basement division in 2021.

Things would unravel with defeats to Louth and Westmeath, leaving them with another season in Division Three to come and the Championship campaign was a huge disappointment with a heavy defeat to Cavan before crashing out of the Tailteann Cup against Leitrim.

Much has been made of the mindset of Antrim teams, but McEntee insists that confidence comes from preparation, but there is no reason why Antrim football should have an inferiority complex.

“I think the mindset thing is just teams and players need to have a little more confidence in themselves,” he insists.

“You look at Cargin’s performance (against Glen) and by no means were they outclassed by a team that is very highly regarded.

“There are a lot of good players in Antrim, so that self-belief comes from doing the hard work and putting in the hard years, not just waking up and having it. If you do that, then you realise there’s no big difference between us and anyone else.

“When it comes down to 50/50 balls, you just have to know you’ve done the work so you can trust yourself, trust the guy beside you and get on with it.

“The past is done so there are so many plusses up here: Facilities-wise; numbers-wise; finance-wise; organisation-wise. Antrim is as well positioned for success as anybody.”

McEntee cast the net wide in an effort to assemble the strongest squad he possibly can and is yet to learn of the availability of some of the Cargin contingent - including brothers Michael and Tomás McCann - whose season just ended with that recent Ulster semi-final reverse to Glen.

The realities of operating in a bona fide dual county with the hurlers plying their trade at the top table means that some players who may be well equipped with the big ball are already committed to Darren Gleeson’s squad.

Yet, McEntee is very happy with what he has seen so far although the proof of their ability to compete on the inter-county circuit will only be revealed during games and therefore, the McKenna Cup is going to be a chance for all of that extended panel to force their way into his long-term plans.

“The hurlers have got their act together, done the work and you can see the results of what they’ve done,” McEntee stressed.

“I’m sure they’re excited to be getting ready for Division One against the big teams, so it’s probably not the easiest year to persuade a fella to play football instead of hurling.

“I have listened to people who know a lot more about Antrim football than me and anyone we feel who has something to offer, we’ve had a look at.

“We’ve had 48 or 49 players and just one or two guys who haven’t been in a position to come in, but that’s the same in every county.

“It’s about getting together now and getting the work done, then see if we can come up with the best group of players to represent the county.”