Tailteann Cup semi-final
Antrim v Meath (Croke Park, Sunday 2pm, Live on RTE2)

A PLACE in the Tailteann Cup final is the prize on offer for Antrim on Sunday at Croke Park when they face Meath.

The game forms part of a doubleheader with the other last four clash between Down and Laois, but for the Saffrons and the Royals, they enter as the form teams having both won all four games they have played.

There is, of course, the added intrigue of Antrim manager Andy McEntee going up against his native county that he led as manager for six years before stepping down last summer, but that will not alter his or his players’ ambitions this year as they look to reach the final.

Undoubtedly, the Tailteann Cup has been extremely beneficial for Antrim who have found form after an up and down League campaign that preceded a comprehensive loss to Armagh in Ulster.

There are clear signs of progress as McEntee’s ideas begin to take hold and with that, the confidence that winning games can bring.

Another win on Sunday would represent a massive step forward for Antrim who go in against a Division Two side that will be favoured to go through, but the last four of any competition is always going to leave no easy tasks and Antrim will relish the challenge ahead.

“This is one of the targets we set at the start of the year and to get there is very important, no matter who we got,” said McEntee after Sunday’s quarter-final win over Carlow.

“It doesn’t matter how we got there, just that we did, but we will need perform an awful lot better than what we did today as that type of performance won’t beat them.”

While there were some nerves jangling among the home support on Sunday as the Barrowsiders got within a goal late on, there still wasn’t a sense that Antrim were in real danger as they always seemed to be able to find a score when required.

Their tally of 1-19 was impressive, but there remains room for improvement and that is a plus as winning when not at full tilt is a sign that things are heading in the right direction.

Still, it will require that top-class display this weekend against The Royals who swept past Wexford with little fuss in their quarter-final at the weekend.

That 2-23 to 0-12 win in Cavan for Colm O’Rourke’s side saw some impressive displays from James McEntee and Jordan Morris, while a 20th-minute goal from Aaron Lynch all but sealed their place in the last four.

They will be many people’s pick to go all the way in the competition, but Antrim manager McEntee will know all about what his side are heading into having led many of the current Meath side in previous years.

“It is what it is,” he said when asked about the prospect of facing his native county.

“These are the games we want to be playing in and this is the stage we want to be playing in, so we can’t complain about the opposition.”

Antrim’s win on Sunday did come at a cost with Dermott McAleese, Conor Stewart and Mick Byrne all forced off with injuries.

McAleese dropped with a facial injury early and there were some concerns that it may have been a reoccurrence of the broken jaw he suffered earlier in the year, but that is not the case.

Stewart was helped off with what appeared to be a serious leg in jury, while Byrne suffered a calf injury and all three will be assessed this week ahead of Sunday’s trip to Croke Park.

Antrim overcame Carlow last weekend
2Gallery

Antrim overcame Carlow last weekend

“Dermott got a bang on the eye and lost sight, so it’s not good,” the Antrim boss confirmed.

“Then losing Mick as well, but anyway, we dealt with it.

“It was great for Luke (Mulholland, substitute goalkeeper) to come in and get a bit of action.

“He did his job and that free that was mishit could have ended up anywhere, but we got there.”

Another who was introduced from the bench on Sunday was Gerard Walsh who made his senior football inter-county debut.

The O’Donovan Rossa man has been a regular with the county’s hurlers for a number if years but with the small ball campaign finished, he has linked-up with the football squad and his arrival is seen as a huge boost by McEntee.

A long-time admirer of the dual star, the Antrim manager believes that Walsh can prove to be a very valuable asset this week and perhaps beyond should Antrim reach the final.

At the tail end of any season, injuries accumulate so having someone with the talent and experience of the big stage is a boost.

“A guy with that sort of experience and athleticism is a great addition to the squad,” McEntee outlined.

“With the injuries, he’s going to be needed.”

MEATH: Seán Brennan; Adam O'Neill, Ronan Ryan, Harry O'Higgins; Donal Keogan, Pádraic Harnan, Seán Coffey; Ronan Jones, Conor Gray; Daithí McGowan, James McEntee, Jack O'Connor; Jordan Morris, Matthew Costello, Aaron Lynch.

Subs: Harry Hogan, Ciarán Caulfield, Cillian O'Sullivan, Cathal Hickey, Jack Flynn, Eoghan Frayne, Michael Flood, Donal Lenihan, Diarmuid Moriarty, Michael Murphy, Keith Curtis.

ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Patrick McCormick, Peter Healy, Eoghan McCabe; Dermot McAleese, Declan Lynch, Marc Jordan; Eunan Quinn, Cathal Hynds; Patrick McBride, Adam Loughran, Ruairí McCann; Ronan Boyle, Ruairí McCann, Dominic McEnhill.

Subs: Luke Mulholland, Cormac McGettigan, James McAuley, Barry McCormick, Gerard Walsh, Colm McLarnon, Conor Hand, Joseph Finnegan, Conhuir Johnston, Odhran Eastwood, Calum Higgins.