McKeegan bids to lead Saffrons on new path as London calls

APPARENTLY, the world is becoming a smaller place, and that much is certainly true in a hurling context this year, with Ulster disappearing off the map in the race for the Liam MacCarthy.

With Dinny Cahill’s era ending in acrimony and embarrassment last year, the Antrim county board decided drastic measures were required and opted out of the senior championship, preferring instead to relay their foundations in the less choppy seas of the Christy Ring Cup.

Thus, while the Ulster Championship will operate as normal, the winner will shift onto a different track once that timetable is completed. The route begins tomorrow with Antrim’s trip to Ruislip.

Like many of the Antrim players, captain Karl McKeegan would have preferred another crack at the bigger fish later this year but he is determined to make the most of his duties.

“If we do well in the Christy Ring, it will give us a better boost for next year, I suppose. Our first priority is to win Ulster, which isn’t going to be straightforward. We have London first, which won’t be easy, and Down have their tails up after their good win last week (against Laois).”

Antrim’s caution over the trip to London is more than just lip service. Last season. New York almost relieved them of their Ulster crown and the common belief is that London, who won the inaugural Nicky Rackard Cup last year, are capable of taking one of the Ulster scalps.

Antrim aren’t likely to be their first fall guys. Though new manager Jim McKernan described the seniors as “in freefall” when he took over, the decline has been arrested and more.

The vibes have been positive since the squad’s first meeting in Ballymena last December, when McKernan won his troops over with a promise that, unlike the previous year, gym membership would be guaranteed.

The perennial head-bashing between the clubs and county was dodged too, with the promise that the players would be allowed train with their clubs once per week.

Inevitably, teething problems did crop up and, with only three days to go before the first round of the league, the squad was meeting for discussions on where they were going wrong and what to do to change direction.

The result was instantaneous, with Galway being pickpocketed that very Sunday in Casement Park. Antrim were up and running again.

“The whole thing seemed to lift after that and it gave us confidence going into the Laois game (which Antrim won). We played well against Tipperary and Kilkenny as well. Limerick was the only downfall.

“I know we probably caught Galway on the hop, but it’s still a great result to beat the All-Ireland finalists. We went into that game thinking if we hold them to 10 points that would help us on for the rest of the league. After that we didn’t go in fearing we were going to get a stuffing from any team.”

Though they fell short of the league quarter-finals, their Division One status was assured with a defeat of Down. The first goal was completed. The second starts tomorrow. After that comes the Christy Ring and, they hope, the path back to Liam McCarthy itself.