Hurling & Camogie

Antrim need everything to go their way to have any chance of upsetting Dublin

Antrim minor boss Collie Murphy knows the Saffrons will have to be at their very best to have any chance of toppling Dublin today. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Antrim minor boss Collie Murphy knows the Saffrons will have to be at their very best to have any chance of toppling Dublin today. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Antrim minor boss Collie Murphy knows the Saffrons will have to be at their very best to have any chance of toppling Dublin today. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship quarter-final: Antrim v Dublin (today, 6pm, Pairc Esler)

ANTRIM have reported a clean bill of health for this evening’s All-Ireland quarter-final showdown against Dublin – and they need everything to go their way to have any chance of reaching the last four.

The Saffrons were comfortable winners of Down and then Derry in the Ulster final earlier this month, but manager Collie Murphy knows his side will have to show serious improvement to trouble the Dubs in Newry.

Fintan Clandillon’s Sky Blues go in as huge favourites and, considering Antrim have lost by an average of 17 points at this stage over the past four years, that is no surprise.

When the counties met in the Leinster Minor League back in March, Dublin ran out 2-17 to 0-9 winners. Both were without several key men for that fixture, but the Saffrons must improve their accuracy in front of the posts to close the gap.

They can’t afford a repeat of the 10 wides they shot in the first half of their provincial decider win over Derry, acknowledges Murphy, although there were signs of Dublin’s potential defensive frailties in their Leinster final loss to Kilkenny.

The Cats found the net with their first two attacks, Adrian Mullen - first cousin of senior stars Michael and Colin Fennelly - drilling in a goal inside the opening 30 seconds before turning provider for Sean Ryan’s well-taken three-pointer a minute later.

“We saw the Leinster final and Kilkenny hit them early on, so they can be got at,” said the O’Donovan Rossa clubman.

“But they’re big, they’re strong, they move well. They’re a bit like the footballers, they like to pass inside, get men overlapping.

“We’re well prepared for them and we have to counteract that and hopefully put our stamp on the game, the way we like to play.”

And Murphy will hope Antrim could have the firepower to trouble Dublin, if they can find their top form.

Cushendall’s Ed McQuillan bagged 2-1 against the Oak Leafs, man-of-the-match Tiernan Murphy landed 2-1 while Dunloy’s Seaan Elliott is a talented operator.

Preparation, says the Antrim boss, has gone well.

“From February to this week, the improvement I’ve seen in our boys’ hurling is unbelievable,” said Murphy.

“They’re flying. The training that big Jackie Carson has put them through has been grand and they’ve all come from their clubs with a good level of fitness, a lot of them were playing schools football and hurling earlier in the year so that has stood them in good stead.”

Dublin, meanwhile, have made four changes from that four-point defeat to Kilkenny back on July 2.

Emmet Allen, Enda O'Donnell and Luke McDwyer are all handed starting berths against the Saffrons, with O'Donnell and McDwyer catching the eye after coming off the bench against the Cats.

The other change sees Kevin Burke come into the team at left full-back as the Dubs look to book their spot in next month’s semi-finals.

Also meeting in the last eight today are Clare and Galway at the newly-redeveloped Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

The Banner came up short against Cork in the Munster final, losing by 4-21 to 0-16 in Thurles, and face another tough test against the Tribesmen.

TEAMS

Antrim: P McMullan; O McAuley, S Walsh, P Lennon; S Magill, C Boyd, R McGarry; M McGreevy, C McHugh; E McQuillan, C Scullion, N McCormack; T Murphy, D Smith, S Elliott

Dublin: C O'Donoghue; A Dunphy, B McHugh, K Burke; E O'Neill, L Walsh, L Gannon; D Keogh, B Coffey; M Grogan, E Allen, E O'Donnell; L Murphy, S Currie, L McDwyer