By Michael McMullan

ANTRIM coach Arron Graffin insists they will be focusing on their own house ahead of Saturday’s Ulster derby in Páirc Esler.

The Saffrons must beat Down to guarantee their spot in Division 1B next season.

Should Antrim lose to their Ulster rivals, and if Carlow avoid defeat at home to Dublin, both Ulster teams would drop to Division Two.

“It is a big game and it’s the last game of the league but we’re approaching it like we have any game,” said Graffin, part of Davy Fitzgerald’s management team.

“It’s just about trying to get our performance right and really trying to concentrate on what we want to do.

“It’s a huge game in terms of we need to win it to stay in the division. That’s really what we want to do, so we’re going out with that in mind.”

Graffin is expecting a tough encounter from their Ulster rivals and reiterated the need to focus on their own game.

“It definitely won’t be easy,” he said, “If we can get our performance right, hopefully you’ll get the result. That’s what you’re looking for.”

There is also the added ingredient of the counties locking horns in the opening round of the Joe McDonagh Cup,

“You’re going straight from the last league game into the championship, which is another big step up as well,” Graffin added. “It’s going to be tough, it’s going to be a battle, but one we’re looking forward to.”

After being nipped by a late Mark Fanning goal in a disappointing defeat in Wexford, Antrim have struggled for results but they hurled well in victory over Carlow.

It was a must win game that gave them a chance of staying in the division. There was always the chance Saturday’s game would have been their defining outing.

Since losing to Dublin, they’ve had two weekends off to hone their game for the crunch part of the season that begins this weekend.“The league as a tough format, it’s week on week,” Graffin said. “You can’t really get a massive amount of heavy load training done. You’re just trying to keep the lad fresh.

Antrim take on Down on Saturday in Newry

“It was nice there to get a couple of weeks off in terms of being able to do a bit of hard training and hopefully taper the bodies for Saturday.”

Graffin points to how competitive the league has been. From nearly beating Wexford, there was the added disappointment of losing to Kildare.

“They went down to Clare and were beat by four points,” he said of what Kildare have offered.

“They beat Carlow comfortably and have really impressed in this league, how they’ve played and how they use the ball.

“Down were very, very unlucky not to beat Wexford in the league as well, losing by two points in Ballycran.

“It’s such a competitive league and every time you go out, you have to be on it. It’s definitely somewhere where you want to stay.”

Looking ahead to Saturday Graffin said the Antrim camp is fully aware what is coming down the tracks.

While it is an Ulster derby, there is the extra sub plot of Down clubs hurling in the Antrim league.

“We would know the Down players very well,” he said. “My own club, Cushendall, we’ve come up against them all the time.

“There are definitely some excellent players on that squad and it’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be a tasty one.”