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Antrim looks to sign off Allianz Hurling League season in style

Antrim manager Darren Gleeson says Antrim need to push on after securing their Division One status in the Allianz Hurling League last week and that means putting in a good performance against Laois on Saturday
Antrim manager Darren Gleeson says Antrim need to push on after securing their Division One status in the Allianz Hurling League last week and that means putting in a good performance against Laois on Saturday Antrim manager Darren Gleeson says Antrim need to push on after securing their Division One status in the Allianz Hurling League last week and that means putting in a good performance against Laois on Saturday

Allianz Hurling League Division One, Group B

Antrim v Laois (Corrigan Park, 3pm, today, live on GAA GO)

WHEN the National League fixtures were published earlier this year, many would have circled today's meeting at Corrigan Park between Antrim and Laois as one that would decide who would stay up and who would enter a relegation play-off.

The Saffrons clearly didn't accede to this narrative, proving they are right at home in the top flight and secured their status thanks to last Saturday's thrilling draw at home to Wexford that put them on three points and unable to be caught by the O'Moore men who travel north having lost all of their games to date.

Therefore, this afternoon's meeting between the teams falls into 'dead rubber' territory with Antrim safe and Laois knowing they face a make-or-break showdown with Westmeath next weekend to decide who beats the drop.

There may be a sense of 'job done' for Darren Gleeson's charges, but the Saffrons have ambitions to keep pushing on and not simply be content with consolidation, so rounding off this chapter of the campaign with a win will be high on the agenda.

Antrim must go back to 2015 for the last time they bested the O'Moore County, so that in itself ought to be motivation for today as they have the opportunity to finish as high as third should other results go their way.

"Laois will be coming here to get something out of it as they are getting ready to play Wexford (in the Championship)," said Gleeson.

"They will be two weeks out and will have lads putting their hand up for that. They will come here all-guns-blazing and Antrim know they have never got anything easy off Laois.

"We are like other teams in the division and building towards Championship, so we use the League for that purpose.

"Consolidation of status is obviously important, but we will treat Laois with the same respect as they will of us. We'll go hammer and tongs preparing for Laois this week because Dublin is in the distance - we can only live for today."

Laois may now face a hectic run of games with that relegation play-off next week to be followed by a Championship meeting with Wexford, but manager Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett has named an unchanged team.

Despite last week's defeat against Kilkenny, the Midlanders delivered a decent display - arguably their best of the League - so the temptation to rest key players has been turned down as they will arrive in Belfast keen to bank a confidence-boosting win.

At the time of writing, Antrim are yet to name their starting 15 but there will have been decisions to be made with Aodhán O'Brien and Shea Shannon impressing off the bench last week.

They will be keen to earn the points, as the Leinster Championship opener against Dublin is just two weeks away, so winning momentum going into that game will do their preparations absolutely no harm.

It could be another thriller at the foot of Black Mountain this afternoon, but Antrim may just shade it to sign off their League campaign in fitting style.

Antrim: TBC

LAOIS: E Rowland; D Conway, S Downey, D Hartnett; J Kelly, C McEvoy, S Maher; F Fennell, P Purcell; J Ryan, A Dunphy, C Collier; PJ Scully, R King, E Gaughan.