Allianz Division Three: Antrim v Longford (today, Corrigan Park, 2.30pm)
WHERE are Antrim going? Nowhere! Why do they want to go there?! They don't!
That will be the attitude regarding the venue for the Saffrons' Ulster Championship clash against Cavan - and in terms of this year's League they might settle for no movement as well, either up or down.
However, the ambition is there to make further progress, and also the determination not to drop back down into Division Four.
Achieving both those aims will require collecting at least a point from today's visitors Longford. That's just beyond Cavan, geography fact fans.
Yet if the midlanders were to win, other results this weekend could lead to five teams all being tied on five points after five rounds.
Accurately describing the tightness of this division would be inappropriate in a family newspaper.
Even troubled table-proppers Wicklow are no whipping boys and, under the new joint management of Alan Costello and Gary Duffy, could cause bother for Laois in Aughrim tomorrow.
Antrim had to settle for a draw away to the O'Moore men a fortnight ago, after wins over Fermanagh and Wicklow sandwiching a home loss to Limerick.
Those results leave them just behind the Treatymen in the promotion places at present, but Antrim will probably need four points at least from their last three matches in order to reach Division Two.
To the delight of their fuel-purchasers, they only have a trip to Louth - stop it! - followed by a home finale against Westmeath, but the focus must be fully on being pumped up for this encounter.
Longford can't exactly be labelled a 'bogey team' for Antrim, not least because there are a few counties in that category and also as these two haven't met very often at all.
However, Antrim haven't beaten Longford for a quarter of a century, going back to another Division Three meeting during the 1996/97 campaign. That should have helped send the midlanders down, but re-structuring placed both counties in Section B for the following season - and Longford won that encounter.
Antrim also lost out, in Pearse Park, again in Division Three, a decade ago, a result which contributed to Longford's promotion.
In 2015 both were in Division Four, but Longford topped the table while Antrim finished third, the hosts having eked out a one-point victory in round two at Pearse Park.
Five years later - five years ago - came their last meeting until this afternoon, which proved to be the most important.
Antrim needed a win in the round seven clash at Corrigan Park, and led deep in injury time after a stirring final quarter comeback - but a long range free from Sean McCormack in the 76th minute secured Longford the point they required from a 1-13 to 0-16 draw, and the Saffrons went down instead.
However, Longford have not gone well so far this season, at least until their re-arranged round three game at fancied neighbours Westmeath last weekend, when they won by four points. Before that, though, they lost in Limerick and at home to Fermanagh and were also held to a draw by Louth in Pearse Park.
Whether that win in Mullingar marks a transformation in fortunes for Billy O'Loughlin's men remains to be seen.
Antrim's players and supporters must bring a Championship fervour to Corrigan this afternoon, and then they might be really going somewhere.
Antrim: TBC
Longford: TBC
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).
