Sport

Ulster SHC format needs looked at again - Terence McNaughton

Antrim backroom team member Terence McNaughton
Antrim backroom team member Terence McNaughton Antrim backroom team member Terence McNaughton

ANTRIM coach Terence McNaughton says the future format of the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship needs to be examined in light of Derry manager Tom McClean’s comments on this weekend’s semi-final between the counties.

In the aftermath of Derry’s Christy Ring promotion/relegation play-off defeat to Mayo last week, McLean said this Sunday’s Ulster Championship semi-final with the Saffrons was “the farthest thing from my mind”.

Derry suffered a demoralising seven-point defeat to the westerners at Ballinamore last Saturday, which consigned them to third-tier Nicky Rackard hurling for 2017:  “Well, it’s an Ulster Championship and I know by that changing room there at the minute that there aren’t too many boys with much appetite for it,” the Oak Leaf boss added.

“Personally, I think it’s a competition played at the time of the year when boys just want to get back to their clubs.”

Speaking on Tuesday, McNaughton, who is part of the Antrim management team along with interim boss Dominic McKinley, was realistic about the position of supposedly weaker counties like Derry.

“The Ulster Championship is probably going to need re-looked at,” said the six-time Ulster SHC title winner.

“It’s certainly not what it was. But Antrim are the most successful county in Ulster and it’s not arrogance to say that other counties in the province get a bigger rise out of playing us than we do out of playing them.”

Ahead of this Sunday’s game at the Athletic Grounds, which will be followed by the other semi-final pairing of Armagh and Down, McNaughton was anxiously awaiting news of Wednesday’s Antrim club league clashes. In Division One, St John’s will have their strong county contingent in action against Ballycran, while James Connolly’s Rossa take on Portaferry.

“If anybody picks up a knock at this stage, it’ll be hard for them to feature at the weekend,” added McNaughton.

“But that’s life. We’ll see how it goes on Wednesday and then take it from there in terms of who is available for Sunday – everyone will be, hopefully.”

Meanwhile, the Antrim senior footballers have rejected the offer of featuring on a double-bill with the county hurlers at Croke Park. The footballers are scheduled to play their All-Ireland round 1B Qualifier against Limerick on Saturday, June 25, the same day as the Saffrons replay their Christy Ring Cup final with Meath at headquarters.

The GAA were forced to order a replay of the Christy Ring Cup final after the referee wrongly scored the original game as a one-point victory to Meath when, in fact, the game was a deadlock on the final whistle.

On Monday night, Antrim football’s joint-manager Frank Fitzsimons confirmed they would not be giving up home advantage and that the Limerick game would go ahead at Corrigan Park at 2pm on June 25.

The GAA offered the Antrim county board to play the rescheduled Christy Ring final against Meath and the football Qualifier between Antrim and Limerick as part of a double-header at Croke Park.

But the Christy Ring final replay will now be a standalone match at Croke Park on June 25, with a 5pm throw-in time. On Tuesday, the GAA announced all proceeds from the fixture will go to charities of both counties’ choice. Tickets are priced at €5 across the board.

“Our players wanted to play the game at Corrigan Park,” said Fitzsimons.

“We haven’t lost at Corrigan in two seasons. As management, we have to think about the best chance of getting a result.”