Antrim can look up again

By Michael McMullan

ANTRIM’S win over Leitrim has opened up the promotion door again as they head to Portlaoise this weekend.

A rampant Kildare side are odds-on to bounce straight back to Division Two, leaving one spot up for grabs. It would be a seismic shock if the Lilywhites implode.

Andy McEntee’s side face Laois this weekend knowing that Fermanagh’s win over Offaly has added spice to the remainder of the league.

Another note to Antrim’s win was doing so without midfield duo Conor Hand and Conor Stewart after their red cards in the defeat to Offaly. They’ll have the regret of not finishing off the Fermanagh game.

Eoghan McCabe and Eunan Quinn came in for their first minutes of the season against Leitrim. Niall Burns made use of a first start with an impressive 1-4 haul.

Ryan McQuillan and Conhuir Johnston added a scoring returning coming from the bench.

It all combines to offer some depth in the Antrim squad at the right time of the year. Hand and Stewart are both back from suspension this weekend. Fionn Nagle bagged a third goal of the season with Marc Jordan and Dominic McEnhill also hitting the net.

Laois came up as champions, alongside Leitrim, from Division Four last season but are a different proposition. Steven Poacher has been hit by a mass exodus from his squad.

On the other side, Laois will be a tough nut to crack on home soil on Saturday evening. After losing to Offaly, they beat Leitrim and Sligo – both of whom have yet to pick up a point.

More recently, they lost heavily to Kildare last weekend. Laois, Antrim, Fermanagh and Clare – who have a game in hand – sit on four points.

Winning on the road is always tricky. The Laois game is a winnable one for Antrim. Two points and they can start looking up.