Sport

Lack of tactical clarity a bugbear of new rules says Antrim's Ryan Murray

Ryan Murray will be a key player for Antrim in 2019
Ryan Murray will be a key player for Antrim in 2019 Ryan Murray will be a key player for Antrim in 2019

Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Section B: Antrim v Armagh (Tomorrow, Glenavy, 1.30pm)

ASK any player on the Antrim panel and they’ll tell you it’s not the new rules, per se, they have a problem with – but the lack of tactical clarity come the start of their NFL Division Four campaign at the end of the month.

In reality, Antrim’s season starts and ends with trying to achieve promotion.

Everything else after that is a bonus.

For Glenavy defender Patrick Gallagher, it’s the lack of clarity that bugs him most about the rules upheaval.

The Antrim full-back doesn’t like the idea of being conditioned to a new set of rules for Antrim’s Dr McKenna Cup campaign and then a week later, quite possibly, having to revert back to old rules for their Division Four opener against Derry.

Ryan Murray, who was one of Antrim’s bright sparks in their opening defeat to Monaghan last weekend, made a similar observation.

“It’s important for us because we want to get off to a good start in Division Four and have clear tactics but you could potentially be playing with these rules and they could be thrown out before the League,” he said.

In their eight-point defeat to last summer’s All-Ireland semi-finalists in Clones, Ryan Murray received an apology from match referee Noel Mooney.

The Cavan whistler didn’t blow for an ‘attacking mark’ - one of the new rules - which would have gifted Antrim a handy score. Seconds later, Monaghan converted from their own ‘attacking mark’.

“It was the first time I had a referee apologise to me when he said: ‘Sorry, I missed that ‘mark’,” Murray revealed. “I probably should have stopped and taken the dead ball kick.”

The two sides also grappled with the new three hand pass rule.

Murray rippled Monaghan’s net after a flowing move but Antrim had exceeded their three hand passes.

“It’s hard not to get a bit angry but I watched the match back again and it was the fourth hand pass,” the Lamh Dhearg attacker acknowledged.

“There was nothing else you could have done in that situation. It was a well worked goal. It wasn’t a slow build-up. It was quick hand passes up the field and then it was disallowed.

“You might find the smarter players will know when to force a small kick because it restarts the hand-passing system again.”

Murray added: “I can see what they are trying to do when a player is coming out with the ball – get your head up and get that initial kick pass away. I like the idea of bringing a bit more kick passing into the game but I don’t know if that [three hand pass rule] is necessarily going to solve that problem. But then, what would?”

While Lenny Harbinson is not only trying to implement a way of playing with the new rules in this season’s McKenna Cup, he is attempting to unearth new players that will have the physical and mental resolve to help Antrim get out of Division Four in 2019.

“The result wasn’t great but there were a lot of new lads blended in – eight or so debutants across the game,” said Murray, now in his seventh season with the Antrim seniors.

“Two of our half-backs were 19 and the other one was 20.”

Alongside Murray, Mark Sweeney – playing in midfield – and Eoghan McCabe caught the eye against Monaghan with Harbinson expected to run the rule over more recruits against visitors Armagh in Glenavy tomorrow.

The Saffron defence could be facing Armagh’s returning star Jamie Clarke while Jack Grugan could get more time to impress Kieran McGeeney in the absence of Andrew Murnin who won’t be available for the Orchard men until the League gets underway.

Grugan hit 2-2 in Armagh’s comprehensive beating of St Mary’s on December 16.

Grugan is a player Harbinson knows well as he was one of the Ballymacnab’s key players – alongside his elder brother Rory – when he was in charge of the Round Towers club a couple of seasons ago.

“Jack was knocking on the door last year,” said Armagh’s assistant manager Jim McCorry.

“There was so much competition for places, especially at full-forward where [Andrew] Murnin was playing really well.

“The improvement Jack’s made this year is phenomenal, especially with the run Ballymacnab had in the league and reaching the championship final. He can put a ball on a sixpence, so he’ll push hard for a place and I think it’s going to be a really good year for Jack.”

McGeeney gave 46 starts in last year’s McKenna Cup campaign so travelling Armagh supporters, and Antrim, can expect a host of changes to the side that romped home 6-17 to 1-7 against St Mary’s last month.

“The guys who weren’t there last year and are back in this year – Jamie Clarke, ‘Soupy’ and James Morgan - all know they’re coming into a set-up where you’re going to have to earn your place on the team. The Armagh management will pick players who are in form at the time. That worked last year for the players and everybody has bought into that, and the U20s will be pushing equally as hard as the guys returning.”