ON a day when Antrim simply had to finish the job, they did just that against Meath as they set-up a showdown with Kerry for the Joe McDonagh Cup at Croke Park on All-Ireland final Sunday.
They didn't look quite so fluid in the early stages of the game as in previous outings, but once Niall McKenna cracked home a 25th minute goal, they opened their shoulders and powered onto an impressive victory.
Initially, the Saffrons looked a slight bit hesitant, perhaps the scenario of an improbable swing of events that would deny them a final berth weighing heavily, but they soon regained the mojo that has lit up this darkest of years and can now plot for a double of League and Championship success.
“You could see in the early part of the game that there were nerves in the boys as you are there going: let’s not have a catastrophe, a 2020 or whatever you want to call it and drop a 27-point (scoring difference) position,” said manager, Darren Gleeson, alluding to the 27-point scoring difference swing that may have allowed Carlow a route into the final.
“That was there no matter how many times you say it. Lads are thinking about tables and things like that but at the (first half) water break we just said to the lads to throw off the shackles and go for it. They did and hit a purple patch there before and after half-time and that was impressive.”
The Antrim manager echoed the calls of Limerick manager, John Kiely, regarding the extended panels to be permitted to attend the final having previously only been able to let the 26 match-day squad into each game to date.
It was confirmed on Monday that it will indeed be the case, meaning those who have toiled all year and miss out for a game jersey due to injury or selection can be with their team-mates at Croke Park next week.
Given this is an All-Ireland final in a stadium with an 82,300 capacity and the opportunities for social distancing are there, calls were made to permit the entire squad, and potentially some family members to attend on what would be the biggest day of a player’s carer.
The Treatymen lofted the Munster Cup properly at a squad training session two days after their win against the Decies with all present and Gleeson was keen to express his hope that such a scenario won't unfold for his group and thankfully, this won't be the case with all able to attend.
“I would definitely agree with that,” he confirmed. “You can bring 38 people (on match day) and that has to include the medical staff, county board officials and us as the selectors and manager. “I’d nearly prefer to be at home and let the boys who have slogged all year to be here.
“We carry a small enough panel and we’ve 32 on it so if any of them aren't there on that day, I’d be devastated for them.
“I think it's only right that they are there. I think their families could live with it once the players can be there. “If the GAA and authorities can look at putting some family members there for the day that's in it would be fantastic.
“I think it’s relevant that the people who do the hard work all year should be rewarded by being with their teammates on All-Ireland final day.”
The good news is that the GAA’s request to permit those extended panel members to attend the final was granted, but the competition for places on the starting 15 and indeed, match day 26 will be as fierce as ever.
Antrim hurling manager Darren Gleeson
Picking the team to start will cause Gleeson a headache, but he insists those who get the nod will have earned it over the next week due to their efforts in training.
“The process will be who does what over the next two weeks,” he confirmed. “If you look back at the programme from the Kerry game, there are a couple of boys who didn’t even feature in that 26 but what they did over the last two weeks got them on the field and some scored two or three points.
“What happens in these two weeks will define it (team). We aren’t going to play somebody who is out of form; you’ll play people in form and who are prepared to play so that’s what we look at all the time. It’s served us well this year and we won’t change away from that.”
Neil McManus has been injured throughout the competition and is in a race a against time to prove his fitness after taking a hamstring in the League final against Kerry back in October. The Cushendall man won’t be considered for selection unless he is 100 per cent right but Gleeson paid tribute to McManus who he says remains a positive influence on the group despite having been unable to play.
“Neil would play for you every day,” he agreed. “You nearly have to protect Neil from himself. He has a really strong mentality but our job is to have him on the field when he is right to contribute to the team and to be fair to him.
“Neil has such a big influence around the place. When we are on the training field and he is off with he rehab group, he contributes a lot still.”
Whoever takes to the field next weekend will have a huge job on their hands as having beaten Kerry three times this year already, the pressure will be on top make it a clean sweep.
The Kingdom will be ravenous to out one over on the Saffrons so motivation won’t be in short supply for Fintan O’Connor’s men, but that is also true of Antrim’s players who will be determined to finish the job and make it a League and Championship double this year.
“It’s a massive motivation for Kerry, but our motivation is high and Fintan and his team will know that as well,” Gleeson insists.
“Let’s not give away the advantage of the last few wins and all we have done this year to a team that we know intimately at this stage. They will be thinking the same: ‘we know these lads inside out; we know how to break them down’ and they will have seen things they want to target, but that’s the joy of the game.
“It could be something completely different that falls on the day, but our motivation is as high as anyone’s and those boys are in there in the dressing room and their eyes are all fixated on what’s coming out of Jim Close’s mouth because they know they have to be right to get us over the line.”
The opportunity to lift silverware on hurling's biggest day is obviously a major prize on offer next Sunday, but with promotion into next year’s Leinster Championship also at stake, victory would represent yet another major step forward for Antrim.
The Saffrons failed to reach the final of the first two instalments of the Joe McDonagh Cup, but here they are at the third attempt after some near misses in past seasons and they are determined to finish the job and return to the top table after five years in the lower grade.
“The prize is whoever wins is going into the top tier of hurling and you can’t quantify that as it’s where we all want to be - you want to play in the top tier of hurling,” Gleeson stressed.
“In this competition, Antrim have had some great starts in it and faded, had some massive results and didn't get to it (final).
“You remember coming out of Tullamore last year when we could feel we were on the cusp of getting to that big day but it didn't happen. Now we're there, you have to come out with the cup.”
