Sport

Antrim minors are swimming against the Galway tide

Antrim pair Conor Carson and Donal McKernan raised the Danny McNaughton Cup earlier this month, but they will need a heroic performance to defeat Galway in Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final <br />Picture by Colm O'Reilly
Antrim pair Conor Carson and Donal McKernan raised the Danny McNaughton Cup earlier this month, but they will need a heroic performance to defeat Galway in Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final
Picture by Colm O'Reilly
Antrim pair Conor Carson and Donal McKernan raised the Danny McNaughton Cup earlier this month, but they will need a heroic performance to defeat Galway in Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final
Picture by Colm O'Reilly

All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship quarter-final: Antrim v Galway (Saturday, Kingspan Breffni Park, 3pm)

REWIND the clock 10 years and you would stumble upon the Antrim minor team giving Galway more than their fill of it in an All-Ireland quarter-final in Mullingar.

The Tribesmen, led by a certain Joe Canning, were expected to waltz through to the last four, but they didn’t bank on a Saffron side laced with confidence. With quality players like Neil McManus, Paul Shiels, Eddie McCloskey and Barry McFall driving them forward, Antrim came within two points of their opponents, eventually losing out on a 4-7 to 1-14 scoreline.

It was rare that an Antrim minor team could go meet a traditional heavyweight and match them in skill, desire and determination. It was something worth building on but the foundations proved to be on rocky ground. In their eight All-Ireland quarter-finals since - Down won the 2012 Ulster title - their average losing margin has been an eye-watering 22 points.

They’ve met the Connacht side three times since 2006, losing by 25 points in 2009, 38 points in 2011 and 17 points two years ago. It puts into context the challenge facing Ciaran Kearney and his Antrim players as they take on the reigning All-Ireland champions in Cavan today.

Of course at minor level teams radically change every year but there has been little to suggest that the current Ulster champions are comparable to the class of ’06. They shouldn’t even be at this stage as Derry had their card marked in the Ulster semi-final as they led 2-10 to 0-6 in the second half.

Antrim showed commendable spirit to fight back though and Keelan Malloy pointed deep into injury time to force extra time. Boosted by this escape act, Antrim controlled the additional 20 minutes and they scored 2-10 compared to a solitary Derry point.

The final against Down was much better as they recorded a comfortable 2-15 to 0-11 win with Conal Doherty-Cunning’s 10-point haul taking his tally to a sensational 1-23 across the two games. That’s one area where Antrim can really cause problems because Doherty-Cunning is far from their only scoring threat. Malloy and Eoin O’Neill are also capable of causing problems.

One significant advantage that Antrim will have is that they have two tough championship games under their belts while Galway were nominated as Connacht champions. Jeff Lynskey’s side will have relied on challenge matches to get them close to match speed, but it’s still an area they should be disadvantaged in.

This should open the window for a quick Antrim start, and they really have to maximise that opportunity if they are to be even remotely competitive. Galway were surprise All-Ireland winners last year and they do have a few members of that squad back this season such as powerful midfielder Jack Coyne, who scored two points last September.

Their defence of the title should start with a win, and a comfortable one at that. Kearney’s side may not have hit the heights yet, but they have shown commendable character. That is sure to be tested extensively this afternoon and they must try and play the same confident hurling that brought Antrim so close to a famous win 10 years ago.

Even if they do produce a top performance, it’s unlikely to be enough.

TEAM NEWS


Antrim: P Carlin; R McQuillan, L Gillan, C Carson; S Magill, C Boyd, E Smyth; D Black, K Malloy; P McCallin, G Laverty, D McKernan; D McShane, C Doherty-Cunning, E O’Neill


Galway: TBA