New York 1-14 Antrim 2-20, Canton

Dominic McKinley, Ulster's hurling manager for the 2006 M Donnelly Interprovincial Championship, has named a 40-man provisional squad for the October competition.

Brian McFall will make his first start of Antrim's NHL Division 1B campaign when they take on Laois at Portlaoise on Sunday (throw-in 2.30pm).

A LATE bid to have UCD hurlers banned from participating in the 2006 Dublin county championship seems doomed to fail.

New Antrim manager Jim McKernan wants retired midfielder Jim Connolly to go back on his decision to quit the inter-county hurling.

CONTINUING to experiment, the Cork selectors have made a number of changes on the team to play Tipperary in Division 1B of the Allianz NHL at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday from that which stole a last-gasp victory over Offaly.

In Dunloy, they speak of the teams who almost made it — and vow not to be one of them.Mark Gallagher visited the Antrim village where hurling is king.

FOR ALL those in the deep south who believe the All-Ireland club hurling final in Croke Park today is more or less a foregone conclusion, that the honest physical endeavour of the Antrim champions Dunloy will succumb to the pacy, cultured hurling of Newtownshandrum — a word of warning from one who should know.

SOUTH meets North in the AIB Club Hurling final, from one end of the country to the other.

Newtownshandrum skipper John McCarthy has picked out club and county star Ben O'Connor as one to watch in their St Patrick's Day decider against Dunloy.