The 2009 National League with The Irish News Online

Antrim’s recent NHL campaigns have been sorry tales of woe. However, as Paddy Heaney finds out, 2009’s League system has given the Saffrons renewed optimism and a new lease of life...

Looking forward: Antrim managers Sambo McNaughton (left) and Dominic McKinley (right) know that this season, the Saffrons have much to prove, playing in a League division they should be looking to win, and also having been granted a place in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, where they will play Dublin in the quarter-fina. Picture: Seamus Loughran

Changed times. And joint-manager Dominic ‘Woody’ McKinley said the players have already showed their approval for the fixture programme that awaits them in 2009.
Commenting on the prospect of a League schedule that comprises games against Westmeath, Down, Wexford, Carlow, Kerry, Laois and Offaly, McKinley said: “I have maintained all along that this is where we belong. You have to be realistic about where you are.
“We have found it a hell of a lot easier to get players interested in playing for us this year. Our players are chomping at the bit.
“You can spout all the psychology you want, but in previous years our players didn’t have the incentive to train hard and really work.
“They knew they were going out to keep scores down. The mindset has now changed because we have the potential to win every game that we are due to play this year.”
Nevertheless, this promising new era could bring its own burdens. For the past few seasons, Antrim officials have howled in protest at how they were treated by the Hurling Development Committee.
Chairman John McSparran led the charge. He lobbied Croke Park. He spoke to the press. ‘Woody’ and ‘Sambo’ often joined the chorus of disapproval.
But now that Antrim’s requests have been met, the onus is on the hurlers to respond. In other words, Antrim have run out of excuses. If they fail this year, then there is no one else to blame.
“It’s true that we have talked the talk,’’ said McKinley. “We have wanted to play in the Leinster Championship.
“I’m sure people will be looking at us and wondering if we are good enough. That will be answered down the line. But it starts on the eighth of February. I think the League is realistic and I know we have a lot of good underage players.”
Sport, however, is rarely straightforward. Cushendall are preparing for an All-Ireland club semi-final clash against De La Salle from Waterford on February 22.
This means Antrim will definitely be without the Ruairi Ogs quintet of Karl McKeegan, Aaron Graffan, Sean Delargy (below left), Neil McManus (below right) and Liam McManus for the first two League outings against Westmeath and Down.
With the Cushendall players, these first two games would be a formality. Without them, the outcome doesn’t look so certain.
But Dominic McKinley isn’t too vexed at the possibility of dropping a few points in the NHL.
“Those players are a major, major loss and it means the League is going to be extremely tough.
“But the League isn’t our priority. Our top priority is to use the Walsh Cup and the League to find four or five new players.
“If we lose a match in the League, it’s not something that we are going to go mad about. We understand where we are.”
Although McKinley was prepared to forgive a few slip-ups in the League, he mightn’t be so forgiving on other issues.
When a journalist turned up at an Antrim training session last year, he was amazed at the relatively low attendance.
While McKinley cited club fixtures as a reason for the poor turnout, he also revealed that a new regime would be in place this year.
“On that particular night, there was an Ulster League match and we had players caught up in that. It was one of those nights. But it is something that we are looking at as well.
“There were times players did come and go. But we need players to compete for places. We are mainly picking from three clubs.
“That is not being disrespectful to other clubs. But we need 12 clubs to be producing three or four players.
“This year, we have spread our wings a bit and we are looking at more players from more clubs.”
All in all, 2009 appears to be full of new beginnings for Sambo and Woody’s men. But we’ve been down this road with Antrim before. A date in Croke Park and the faint promise of what might be. Yet, it rarely works that way for the Glensmen. Are they satisfied to get a big day out at headquarters? Or do they possess the ambition to move to the next level?
“Our players want to be involved because they want to beat Dublin. There is no doubt in that whatsoever. I’m sure the big day will come into it and that is something that we will talk about over the coming months. But when all is said is done, when you are playing, it is not a big day unless you win,” said McKinley.
An unequivocal response. We shall see.

Plagued by injury for the past three years, Neal McAuley returned to the Antrim team for the Walsh Cup game against Kilkenny. Playing at centre half-back, he didn’t look out of place against the vaunted opposition.
Dominic McKinley’s assessment of the Ballycastle man will leave no-one in any doubt about how highly he rates the young defender.
“If Neal McAuley hadn’t got injured, I would have bet my life that our minors would have got into the All-Ireland final. That’s how long he has been out of the game.
“But he has always stayed around the fold. Every night, he would have been around training. He is so committed to succeeding it is unreal.
“He was one of our best young prospects and it’s a major plus to have him back fit for us.”

Saffrons granted their wish to be competitive

Antrim’s recent NHL campaigns have been sorry tales of woe. However, as Paddy Heaney finds out, 2009’s League system has given the Saffrons renewed optimism and a new lease of life...