By Michael McMullan

ANTRIM are bogged in a Division 1B relegation battle and must beat Carlow on Sunday to end their disappointing start to the season.

Davy Fitzgerald’s side’s league can be divided in two so far. Before Mark Fanning’s late winning goal, when they had Wexford on the ropes and their downward spiral since.

Two points on the road would’ve been the perfect start but defeat was followed by losing to Clare.

Kildare had beaten Antrim in pre-season game but and they repeated the dose with three second-half goals.

With the latest defeat came the shadow of negativity at the run of results with hurling folk in the county questioning Fitzgerald’s defensive brand of hurling.

That’s all in the past and the weekend off will have given Antrim a time to reflect but they’ll have to put their best foot forward.

After Sunday, there is a home clash with Dublin before a trip to Newry to take on fellow relegation strugglers Down.

Antrim can’t even look there. The zero beside their name in the points column will print any pre-game message. They must win.

On paper, they have the tools to hurl with anyone in the division. Keelan Molloy, Seaan Elliott, Conall ‘Coby’ Cunning and James McNaughton are quality forwards.

Antrim have lost the experience of Neil McManus, Eoghan Campbell and Conor McCann. Dunloy trio Ryan McGarry, Ryan and Nigel Elliott are gone too.

The management would love to have a handful to bolster the squad, but they don’t.

Carlow will be coming north this weekend with the same urgency. The two points they have won’t be enough to beat the drop to Division Two.

Sunday is a crossroads for Antrim. Win and it sets up two more crucial weeks with the boost of a victory. Lose and they’ll be in the precarious position of needing two wins and maybe a helping hand from results elsewhere. Sunday is so, so important.