ANTRIM will be without CJ McGourty and Sean Burke for their Ulster Championship showdown with Down in Newry on Saturday May 26.
It is understood key attacker McGourty hasn’t trained with the squad after their last National Football League game against Limerick on March 25.
The St Gall’s man was substituted at half-time against the Shannonsiders and hasn't been part of the panel since.
McGourty, a nephew of manager Lenny Harbinson, would possibly have been Antrim’s left-footed free-taker but Ryan Murray, who’s had an impressive NFL campaign, is equally adept at placed balls from the right side.
Sean Burke probably would have been in Harbinson’s starting line-up on Saturday week but a groin injury looks like keeping the tenacious St Gall's midfielder out of the picture.
Captain Kevin O’Boyle appears to have shrugged off a knock he picked up in a recent club game with Cargin and should be fit to face the Mournemen.
The Saffrons held a meet and greet session at Tir na nOg Randalstown GAC last night before the squad decamped to their training base in nearby Dunsilly.
Antrim spent a productive couple of days together in Johnstown Co Meath last weekend in preparation for their Championship opener.
“We got a lot of work done,” said defender Patrick Gallagher. “We’d double sessions, did a lot of prep work and worked on our tactics. It was very good, and good to get away. We weren’t going away for a break, that’s for sure. We came back shattered.”
Although Gallagher says Antrim's preparations couldn't be better ahead of next weekend’s Down clash, he acknowledged the attacking threats their hosts boast.
“[Caolan] Mooney and [Connaire] Harrison are top drawer and Donal O’Hare too,” he said. “They beat Monaghan [last year’s Ulster semi-final] and Monaghan beat Dublin [in Division One this year], so that’s the level you’re talking about."
He added: “Last year, we put it up to Donegal in our Ulster Championship match but only for 20 or 25 minutes. It's about making sure we put it up to them the whole game and don’t die away in the second half.”
Antrim narrowly missed out on promotion out of Division Four in March and Down dropped out of Division Two this season.
The Mournemen reached last year’s provincial decider while their visitors to Newry in 10 days’ time haven’t won an Ulster Championship match since 2014, when they edged out Fermanagh at Brewster Park.
Meanwhile, Antrim officials will be keeping a close watching brief over the disciplinary outcomes of last week’s fiery Joe McDonagh Cup win over Carlow at Corrigan Park
Jack Kavanagh, Dairmuid Byrne and Richard Coady all saw red for Carlow while Antrim’s Eoghan Campbell was dismissed in the first half.
But it was Coady’s off-the-ball strike on Neil McManus that left the Antrim player needing six stitches in a place you never imagined getting six stitches, while a reckless challenge on Michael Armstrong, that went unpunished, resulted in a broken arm.
It is understood the referee’s report is quite damning but if there is any leniency shown towards Coady, Antrim officialdom is likely to make their voices known.
Campbell has lodged an appeal against his first-half red card that will be heard by the CCCC this week.
Meanwhile, Antrim GAA is expected to unveil the head of their £1m ‘Gaelfast’ project over the coming days. Interviews were held last Thursday and Friday for the £60,000 Regeneration Manager post.
Last month, Croke Park announced their £1m investment into trying to raise participation levels in Belfast primary schools.
