Travers wants Antrim to join Leinster Championship

BOTH ANTRIM and Leinster would benefit by the Ulster side’s inclusion in the eastern province’s championship, according to Wexford defender Malachy Travers.

The door certainly seems open to such a move. Leinster Council chairman Liam O’Neill has already said any request for Antrim’s inclusion championship would be “sympathetically considered”. Antrim are bitterly disappointed with the new hurling championship structure that has paired them off against Galway every year for the foreseeable future on a home and away basis.

The Glensmen have already defeated Kilkenny, Offaly and Wexford in competitive action this year and Travers would have no objection to facing them in the provincial championship too.

“I’d love to see them in Leinster, yeah. It’s only right. They’re not getting games up north and I think it would only benefit Leinster hurling,” said the Ballyboden St Enda’s clubman.

“There’s a lot of people down on Leinster hurling but if you look back over the years there only ever was Kilkenny, Wexford, Offaly and maybe Laois and Dublin. Traditionally, Munster has been stronger than us.”

Antrim’s only defeat so far this year was their opening league game in Dublin but they have claimed the Walsh Cup title for the first time and bounced back from that reversal in Parnell Park with a 10-point win over Wexford.

With John Meyler’s men having shocked Waterford in the first round, few expected the Leinster side to beaten up north two weeks’ ago but Antrim were full value for their success. “It was disappointing but we do have to give credit to Antrim. They deserved the victory on the day. They really plotted our downfall and had their homework done.

“They were after beating Kilkenny only a few weeks earlier, then Offaly, so they’re stringing a few results together. It’s important for them to perform well because they have to wait until the All-Ireland series again to perform.”