WITH a growing injury list ahead of their Championship opener against Offaly, Antrim hurling manager Darren Gleeson feels a few more tweaks in the new GAA calendar would help players realise their potential.
After securing their Division One status last month with an impressive play-off win over Saturday’s visitors to Corrigan Park, Gleeson’s panel is feeling the after-effects of their game-on-game programme.
Not predisposed to pre-match mind games, Gleeson was up front about his squad’s injuries ahead of their Joe McDonagh showdown with Offaly in Belfast.
Neil McManus is still out with a hamstring injury and is a doubt for next week’s Ulster derby with Down.
James McNaughton and David Kearney haven’t recovered from the knocks they suffered against Offaly in Navan 19 days ago. Niall McKenna, arguably Antrim’s best player over the past couple of seasons, and Damon McMullan are still in rehab after operations.
Injured wing-forward Michael Bradley remains out of contention too.
“I like the idea behind it [the split season], but for the sake of a week or two extra… it puts a serious amount of pressure on the players,” said Gleeson.
“The week after the National League is when players get some down-time and get a reset, but last week they needed to be in Championship mode.
“I think it’s very difficult to prepare a team for it. David Kearney went off injured against Offaly and James McNaughton went off in the second half. Both of them haven’t recovered to play the first round of the Championship. You could get an injury in your last League game and miss the first half of the Championship and you could be out by the time you get back.
“You’re still dealing with bits of COVID here and there - people forget that. But we’re not disadvantaged as every county is in the same situation.
“People talk about squad players; every player is a squad player,” Gleeson said.
“With these competitions being played in a tight time-frame everybody is a squad player. You really have to use your whole squad. Everybody is at the coal face and everybody is going to be used during the competition.”
Antrim face Offaly (h), Down (a) and Carlow (h) over a 14-day period before resuming after a week’s break to face Meath and Kerry in the round robin series.
Both Joe McDonagh finalists re-enter the All-Ireland series this year with the winners entering the 2023 Leinster round-robin Championship.
After winning the 2020 Joe McDonagh Cup, the Ulstermen find themselves back in the middle Championship tier after falling to Dublin and Laois in an abbreviated version of the Leinster Championship last season.
“We can’t look at the end game,” said the Tipperary man.
“This is a massive 14 or 15 days for Antrim where we play three games - Offaly, Down, which is a big Ulster derby, and Carlow have shown over the last few years they are no pushover. They are three massive games in a short space of time.”
Antrim’s win over Offaly in last month’s NHL play-off was one of their most convincing displays of the season, and while Gleeson is wary of the facing a wounded opponent he's hoping the tight, intimidating environs of Corrigan Park will help the Saffrons get off to a winning start in the competition.
“That day against Laois we were all a bit crestfallen because it was our own unforced errors that hurt us, and Laois came to the winner-takes-all with more aggression and want - that was disappointing.
“But going into the Offaly game in Navan we had more aggression and want for that game which was pleasing. It was a big win for us. And now we’re facing them again and they’ll be wounded from that.
“But I like the fact we're playing them at Corrigan Park. You talk about the intimate grounds; this weekend there'll be one in Corrigan Park and one in Walsh Park [Waterford versus Tipperary] in the Munster Championship. They’re very similar. The hurling is up close and personal, there’s a good atmosphere - it’s just what you want for Championship hurling.”
While all eyes are on Gleeson’s seniors, the 2010 All-Ireland winner pointed to the rude health of Antrim’s underbelly and the work being done at minor and U20 level.
“Our U20s were so organised this year, played so many matches and have given a feel of inter-county hurling to over 30 players. And Alan Rainey’s minors are still unbeaten. There is some real hard work going on there and that’s why it’s important to keep the flagship team going.”
