Football

'Challenging year' continues for Antrim boss Lenny Harbinson after further panel departures

Mark Sweeney, one of Antrim's most experienced campaigners, has opted off the panel due to work and exam commitments. Picture by Seamus Loughran
Mark Sweeney, one of Antrim's most experienced campaigners, has opted off the panel due to work and exam commitments. Picture by Seamus Loughran Mark Sweeney, one of Antrim's most experienced campaigners, has opted off the panel due to work and exam commitments. Picture by Seamus Loughran

ANTRIM’S already-depleted panel has suffered a further blow after work and exam commitments ruled Mark Sweeney out of their forthcoming Championship campaign.

The experienced St Jude’s man has been a Saffron stalwart over the years, travelling up and down from Dublin, and is a significant loss as Antrim prepare to face the winners of Tyrone and Derry’s May 12 Ulster preliminary round clash.

Following on from a disappointing League campaign, in which Antrim’s promotion hopes were ended by narrow defeats in their opening three games, boss Lenny Harbinson admitted it had been “a challenging year”.

As well as losing Sweeney, Harbinson revealed that St Enda’s pair Peter and Kristian Healy would not be available to the county this year, while forward Ruairi McCann opted off the panel in the early stages of the League.

Experienced corner-back Kevin O’Boyle and forward Conor Murray are both battling back from long-term injury, but Harbinson says Championship could come too soon for the pair.

“If you look at our defence, five out of your seven defenders, including your goalkeeper, have gone from last year,” said the St Gall’s clubman.

“Kevin has been a massive loss because he was our captain and a massive leader in defence. In the other corner Peter Healy is in his final year at UCD and, with the extended run St Enda’s had, he’s just got to step away to concentrate on his exams.

“Mark Sweeney has been a fantastic servant to Antrim in the last eight or nine years. He’s got exams and has had to balance out between travelling up from Dublin.

“Conor Murray has only recently resumed training, Kristian Healy has a similar injury to Kevin O’Boyle and he’s been playing through the pain barrier with St Enda’s. He’s now taking time off to try and heal.

“We’ve had a massive turnover of players in a 12 month period, for all kinds of reasons. The frustrating aspect is that a lot of the coaching stuff we did last year, the structural stuff, you’ve lost all that because those guys have gone and you’re bringing new guys in.

“Instead of building on what you had previously done, you have to take a step back to go back to basics. But from the positive side of things, because you’re dealing with new people, these guys have embraced everything we’re trying to do and they’ve brought a new level of enthusiasm, which helps to reinvigorate people.”

As well as those who have either opted out or are on the treatment table, there are plenty of quality players in Antrim who felt they were unable to commit to the cause this year.

Harbinson admits that is a source of frustration, but insists his focus must remain on those who want to play as he draws together a panel for the Championship.

He added: “There’s no point in people calling out names of people who have done it for Antrim in the past; there are commitments required and if they don’t want to commit…

“There’s no point people saying ‘Antrim’s best footballers aren’t playing’ – if they don’t want to play, they don’t want to play. You have to focus on the people who do want to play.

“If Dublin were lining out with 12 of last year’s panel missing, people would be saying that’s greatly weakened them, and essentially that’s what’s happened to ourselves.

“That sounds like an excuse, but that’s the reality.”