Allianz Hurling League Division One, Group B round three
Waterford v Antrim (Sunday, Fraher Field, 1pm)
THERE is a feeling that one of these days, Antrim are going to fully click and score the big win that has eluded them since an opening-day win over Clare in 2021, but whether that occurs in Dungarvan tomorrow against Waterford remains to be seen.
Narrow defeats and near misses have been the story for Antrim with Neil McManus muttering 'Groundhog Day' when leaving the field against Dublin a fortnight back as a late fightback came up short.
The issue was that Antrim left themselves too much to do at Parnell Park after failing to fire until the closing stages and at home to Kilkenny the previous week they again took too long to get going, so the objective is to perform from start to finish on the south coast to give themselves the best chance of a victory.
Of course, Antrim travel as underdogs, but there were also outsiders when the teams met in Belfast last year and only for the reflexes of Deise goalkeeper Shaun O’Brien to turn McManus' last-gasp penalty over the bar, the Saffrons would have claimed a draw.
Darren Gleeson and his team are sick of the hard-luck stories, so tomorrow affords the chance to get it right and bag two vital points that are the only currency that matters in Division One.
“Last year a puck of a ball maybe did us out of it,” reflected Antrim midfielder Michael Bradley after the defeat in Dublin.
“It’s an opportunity to work, heading towards the Championship.
“It doesn’t get any easier – maybe the last few years, with respect to other teams, you maybe eyed your games and got other guys a run or whatever else. But we’ll be giving Waterford the respect we give any other team at this level.
“We’ve beat Clare in the past, we’ve run all these teams close, it’s maybe just hurling for the full 70, 75 minutes, get more consistent performances.”
Waterford had to settle for a draw in their opener against Dublin, a game in which they finished with 13 following the dismissals of Jack Fagan and Stephen Bennett, while Michael Kiely was sent off after just five minutes in their win over Laois last time out when they pulled clear in the closing stages after the Midlanders were also reduced to 14. At Corrigan Park last year, Colin Dunford saw red.
Therefore, it's those men who finish behind the white line rather than the sideshow of 'the man behind the wire' - a selector Fitzgerald prefers to have stationed behind his goalkeeper to relay messages - that has been the issue and indeed,
There is a fine line between ill-discipline and intensity so the hosts will be keen to finish with the full compliment tomorrow as they will be aware of what Antrim can produce should they get into a flow.
Just how Antrim manager Darren Gleeson shapes his team will be of interest as the introduction of Joe Maskey into the forwards against Dublin and playing high balls inside saw the attack come to life.
Going that way from the off must be tempting, but it is also a decent change to make if the usual plan isn’t clicking.
Antrim will not be daunted by the challenge ahead, but it remains a huge task to take down the League champions on their home patch.
