Basement battle in Corrigan Park

By Michael McMullan

THE last time Sligo won in Belfast, it was a masterclass from Mark Breheny that sank the Saffrons at Casement Park.

That was 2011 when both teams were relegated from Division Two. The counties have met eight times since. There was last year’s Tailteann Cup draw in Kingspan Breffni.

As for the rest, the team playing at home have prevailed. Antrim’s three wins were by a single point. Sligo were seven-point winners in the 2024 league. An outlier in a sea of battles stretching back 14 seasons.

While many of the column inches and soundbites echo the Corrigan Park saga ahead of Antrim’s championship date with All-Ireland champions Armagh, Sunday’s is their biggest game of the year. End of story.

Leitrim have already been relegated. Kildare and Offaly are safe. Their focus is upwards. The other five teams can potentially face relegation.

Sunday on the Whiterock Road is Antrim’s passport to Division Three for next season. A penny for the internal focus. So much relies on it.

Andy McEntee will be hoping to get Ruairi McCann and Marc Jordan back in the fold. A scoring outlet up top in McCann with Jordan a player who ticks so many boxes.

They face a Sligo team who are equally under the pump but have the boost of a win last weekend in their refixed game, against a Clare team who chinned Kildare. It was a test with Emmett McMahon’s goal after Sligo led by seven points coming down the stretch.

Antrim will look to have Conor Hand and Conor Stewart back in the midfield engine room.

In Michael Byrne they’ve an accomplished goalkeeper but the middle third has morphed into a scrap for loose ball under the new rule enhancements.

Antrim have the tools to win this one. The history books point to a home win but it always points to a one-point game.

This one has the potential to go the distance and Antrim must channel their inner #CorriganOrNowhere spirit to engineer two vital league points.

Check out this week’s podcast with Ronan O’Neill and Shaun Casey, looking ahead to this week’s action. The podcast is brought to you in association with Hastings Everglades Hotel