Joe McDonagh Cup
Antrim v Westmeath
Sunday, Corrigan Park, 2pm
LAST year, Antrim were on a high in the Joe McDonagh Cup after they beat Offaly, but Westmeath brought them back to earth.
The Saffrons won’t want that to happen again this weekend.
Antrim were unsurprisingly delighted to have captured victory in last weekend’s National Hurling Division 2A final.
The win sends them back to the top tier where they can look forward to playing teams from the highest level.
Next year, if it goes ahead of course, they will have an opportunity to take on the very best teams in Ireland.
For Darren Gleeson’s team, that means playing at a higher level and a higher speed, and will be the perfect environment for his team to grow and develop.
However, while many may see last week’s win as the primary goal, how the Saffrons approach this weekend is important too.
Winning teams must use their momentum. One can imagine that Gleeson will ask his team to keep the hard work up, and try to go on and win the Joe McDonagh Cup.
Certainly Antrim showed character to win last weekend. Kerry have been a tricky side for the Saffrons in years past. However, they were fit for them for long periods on Sunday last. They were in front by five points cruising midway through the second half. Yet they made things difficult for themselves when they gifted Kerry an easy goal, and they had to dig deep to make sure of the win.
James McNaughton was excellent, and his goal calmed the nerves. Domhnall Nugent’s strength was important as he helped to win plenty of primary possession. Conor McCann played the leader’s role and popped up with a goal. While Niall McKenna, Coby Cunning and Eoghan Campbell were impressive as well.
Antrim have plenty of talent across the board and they should give the Joe McDonagh competition a good rattle, if they can regain their focus after that important result last weekend.
Westmeath played in the very top tier of this year’s league. While they played five and lost five, they were battlers. They took some beatings but they were the sort of side that didn’t give up.
That was evidenced when they played Limerick. Despite being 0-9 to 0-0 down in the first half playing into the wind, they were only four points behind, 0-20 to 0-16, with 12 minutes to play. Yet Limerick did enough to get over the line.
The man that Antrim need to watch is Derek McNicholas. He’s their dead-ball specialist and in that game against Limerick, a day of poor weather, he knocked 10 scores over. Antrim will also have to watch for Darragh Clinton and Jack Gavin.
Recent meetings with Westmeath have not went well for Antrim.
They met in last year’s Division 2A and the Saffrons lost by two points, 1-15 to 1-17.
A win in that game would have earned promotion for Antrim, they looked in good shape as they led after the first half and were playing with the wind. But Westmeath’s Alan Devine got a goal, and that turned the game in their favour. That game was played at Corrigan Park so Antrim might see this as an opportunity to take revenge.
The two teams also met in last year’s McDonagh Cup but Westmeath were more convincing winners, 0-21 to 0-29.
Antrim had been on a high after beating Offaly the week before, but they were sluggish in Dunloy. Neil McManus’s 13 points made what could have been a terrible day slightly more respectable.
Antrim will be on a high this week, they won’t want Westmeath to bring them down again.
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