National Hurling League Division One Group B

Antrim v Laois

Saturday, Corrigan Park, 3pm

WHEN Keelan Molloy smashed that point over the bar against Wexford last weekend at Corrigan Park, a step forward was made in Antrim hurling. The score meant that the Saffrons would draw with the Model county, and the point would put Antrim far enough ahead of Laois in the table that they could not be relegated down to Division Two.

A second season in Division 1B is important because it allows the Saffrons a chance to develop their skills and play against the very best teams in Ireland. Their four games this year have been incredible tests for Darren Gleesons’s side.

They have had to play against brilliant hurlers, who play at a faster pace, and can adapt to their opponents. The Antrim men have also experienced what it was like to play week in, week out, and that intensity will have been an eye-opener to some of them.

So long term, the experience was good. In the short term, the result against Wexford will have buoyed the team up and put them in a positive mood ahead of the Leinster Senior Championship which will be played in a fortnight’s time.

The element that they will be most pleased about is their hunger for the fight. Repeatedly throughout this year’s league they have been down, but have managed to find their way back into games. It happened against, Clare, Kilkenny and against Wexford last weekend.

Instances such as Shea Shannon’s goal, which regained Antrim’s lead against Wexford, James McNaughton and Keelan Molloy’s free-taking, and that late Molloy score from play all suggest a team who is confident and determined.

Free-taking is worth pointing out. Lee Chin missed a handful of scores that, had they went over, maybe woud have taken the game away from Antrim.

But the point could also be made that Antrim had missed a good number of placed balls against Dublin, but they rectified those issues in the game last weekend.

This weekend they play Laois, but the result will have no effect upon the league bar possibly lifting Antrim above Dublin and Clare if both lose. Antrim can’t qualify for the league final nor can they drop into relegation. So that leaves it open for Gleeson to experiment with his team in the final round. He may want to opt to give some players some rest time in the final game.

Last weekend, the switches including moving James McNaughton to midfield from half-forward. Michael Bradley, Domhnall Nugent and Ciaran Clarke dropped to the bench. The replacements were Eoin O’Neill, Conor Johnston and Dan McCloskey.

Johnston nabbed himself a point against Wexford, Ciaran Clarke came off the bench to score a point. So those players will be out to make a point this weekend to earn their place in the upcoming championship team, as for now, that’s the main focus for the Saffrons.

Verdict: Antrim

National Hurling League Division Two Group A

Down v Meath

Sunday, Ballycran, 1pm

DOWN experienced an Offaly team determined to get back to Division One last weekend, as the Faithful men hit 5-25 to earn a comfortable win.

The Ardsmen, who are managed by Ronan Sheehan, perhaps hoped that the scoreline would be a bit more respectable than an 18-point margin of defeat, but they are on a journey, and have some way to go before they can reach Offaly’s level.

Eoghan Sands switched from full-forward against Wicklow when he scored 2-1 to midfield against Offaly. Chris Egan had started against Wicklow but didn’t feature against Offaly, instead Ronan McCusker came in and replaced him. He was the only change to the team.

Perhaps if they are looking for positive signs, scoring might be one area to look at. Ten players scored against Wicklow, and eight found the target against Offaly. The issue was perhaps consistency. At half time Offaly had scored 3-11 and Down had just eight points. In the end a score of 1-19 seems okay against a top team like Offaly, but Down need to be able to put up a tally like Offaly’s (5-25) if they want to get up and compete at the top level.

This weekend they play a Meath team who have lost three and won one game. With Joe McDonagh Cup hurling to look forward to, Down can work on improving their gameplay in this match in preparation for the championship clash with Kerry on June 26.

Verdict: Down

National Hurling League Division Two Group B

Derry v Roscommon

Saturday, Owenbeg, 2pm

DERRY’S one-point win over Donegal means a lot to the Oak Leaf stick men. It goes some way to highlight that the Cormac Donnelly-Dominic McKinley managed team are not as bad as their first two defeats of the season might have suggested.

But it took a big turn by the Sleacht Néill contingent of the team to earn the result. Cormac O’Doherty scored 0-13, Brian Cassidy hit 1-2, Se McGuigan got 1-1, and Gerald Bradley managed a point from midfield. They also had 1-1 from John McMullan and Kevin Lynch’s Richie Mullan scored 0-3. So there was a good spread of scorers.

The scoring return was a good deal different from the previous day out when Cormac O’Doherty only managed 0-4, and the big haul went to Brian Cassidy with 1-7.

Not only are Derry players competing for places for their Christy Ring campaign, which begins on July 3 against Roscommon, they are also playing to save their place in Division 2A.

They are playing Roscommon this weekend and need to win to make sure they are not relegated to Division Three. Roscommon have lost all three of their games played so far but they are going to present a difficult task for Derry.

They only lost to Donegal by two points, who Derry only beat by one, so there could be a battle this weekend.

Verdict: Derry

National Hurling League Division Three Group A

Tyrone v Sligo

Saturday, Omagh, 2pm

IT’S all to play for in Division three for Tyrone, who can move ever closer to a promotion spot if they beat Sligo this weekend. Themselves and Armagh are hunting top spot in the division.

They play Armagh in the last game of the division, so a win for Tyrone this weekend would mean that derby would decide top spot.

Verdict: Tyrone

National Hurling League Division Three Group A

Longford v Monaghan

Saturday, Pearse Park, 2pm

AFTER suffering defeat to their two Ulster rivals Tyrone and Armagh, Monaghan might feel that they have a game that they should get a result from.

They have been putting up solid scores, if not brilliant, hitting 2-13 against Tyrone and 2-15 against Armagh. Longford won’t be easy, as they drew with Tyrone.

Monaghan need to use the pressure to motivate themselves to get an important result.

Verdict: Monaghan

SAFETY GUARANTEED… Keelan Molloy watches his equalising score fly over for Antrim against Wexford last weekend