Hurling & Camogie

Antrim are gearing up a for a long season ahead - Conor McCann

Antrim's Conor McCann says he's looking forward to getting started in the Kehoe Cup Picture by Cliff Donaldson
Antrim's Conor McCann says he's looking forward to getting started in the Kehoe Cup Picture by Cliff Donaldson Antrim's Conor McCann says he's looking forward to getting started in the Kehoe Cup Picture by Cliff Donaldson

Kehoe Cup Group One: Meath v Antrim (Saturday, 2pm, Páirc Tailteann)

ANTRIM will be getting their ‘2020’ season underway before November 2019 is even out as they take to the field against Meath in the Kehoe Cup on Saturday.

However, despite the Saffron hurlers going into action just a fortnight after county champions Dunloy exited the Ulster club championship, captain Conor McCann is quietly pleased with the way things are coming together under the new management team headed by Darren Gleeson.

A number of players, including Neil McManus, are recovering from club championship-related injuries, but with none of them serious and the Dunloy men returning to the county panel this week, things are slowly gearing up ahead of the clash with the Royals.

“The panel’s just coming together now, we’re still at that stage of players coming onto the panel, the likes of Dunloy just finished their championship and some players coming back from injuries,” said McCann.

“We’re trying to get as strong a panel as we can as early as we can. The games are starting very early, but it’ll be good to play a match.”

Antrim reached the final of the Kehoe Cup last year, where they played out a draw with Westmeath before losing on penalties, and McCann is impressed by the quality of opposition the Saffrons may face this time around.

“It’s a good tournament, it was good last year. Offaly are on the other side of the draw, so there’s good opposition playing,” the Creggan Kickham’s clubman added.

“Meath are a good side too, they ran us fairly close last year and there’s another couple of teams coming up. It’s good to get competitive games as early as you can and get players playing at that sort of level and then we can push on after that.

“With the new management in and with a lot of new faces on the panel who haven’t played together in a few years or ever, it’ll be getting them out and getting them used to playing. Looking at what style we’re playing under new management, so there’s a few factors there that’ll all come into it.

“I’m guessing like any manager, Darren will be trying to get as much game-time for everyone as they can, especially the younger lads, and try to get them used to it, see how they react under pressure and stuff like that.”

With Antrim’s McGurk Cup campaign beginning against Armagh next Tuesday, All-Ireland winner Gleeson will certainly have plenty of opportunities to give his panel game-time, with former manager and current director of hurling Neal Peden also likely to play a part in blooding younger players in McGurk matches.

“It’s pretty early, but even from just talking to them [coaching team] and hearing from them, we know what way Darren works and he’s been involved with us before,” said McCann.

“Last season, he was training and the season before he was in on a coaching role, so we’re used to him, but there’s a good team of men there and so far, so good. We’ll get to Christmas, we’ll get the likes of the McGurk Cup, the likes of the Kehoe Cup out of the way and we’ll see how we’re fixed after that. I suppose you’ll have a better idea then coming into the league in January. It’s nonstop now, really, once these games start.”

As for that National League campaign, McCann is clear where the Saffrons want to be by the springtime.

“Promotion is always our objective, the league’s our priority at this stage, trying our best to get promoted,” he said.

“We weren’t happy how we played last year in the early games and you can’t really take your foot off at all, with the likes of Westmeath and Kerry and, if you lose a game, that’s it.

“First of all, we’ll be hoping we can string a couple of wins together, I see we’ve a couple of away fixtures – the likes of Carlow are now in it – so it’s going to be tough, but the league’s the main objective at the minute.”