A nine-point victory away from home is about as perfect a start as the Antrim footballers could have wished for.
Yet, the high standards set by the current management team will demand the Saffrons sharpen up ahead of Saturday’s visit of Limerick to Corrigan Park.
Antrim got their Division Three campaign off to a winning start with an impressive 1-14 to 0-8 victory over Fermanagh in Brewster Park last Saturday night.
Midfielder Kevin Small landed the only goal to kill off the game with 10 minutes of normal time remaining and the visitors hit a further 0-5 in the closing stages as Fermanagh’s challenge petered out.
However, Antrim coach Sean Kelly is experienced enough to know the result could have been a lot different, especially considering Fermanagh missed a hat-trick of goal chances in the first half.
“We are well aware of the fact we could have conceded three goals in that first half and probably deservedly so.
“They had runners coming from deep and we struggled with it.
"We had to change it at half-time a bit, but we could have been well out of it and going forward, a performance like that won't be good enough to get us enough wins to get us out of this division.
"Late, hard runners is a big part of the game these days and that's something we should have dealt with better. We didn't deal with it overly well and just were very lucky we didn't get punished."
He added: “To be fair to the lads, they didn't fold under the pressure, which is a good thing.
“We know that, going forward, our performances are going to have to be better throughout the whole game as opposed to just doing it in patches.”
Antrim gained promotion from the bottom tier last season and defeated Limerick the last time the sides met in the League in March 2020.
That proved to be the final game before the Covid-19 pandemic forced a halt to all sport with Antrim recording a facile 2-21 to 1-12 win in Portglenone.
Limerick also made a winning start to the League last Saturday night, defeating Longford 4-9 to 1-11 at the Gaelic Grounds and Kelly is anticipating a tough battle this weekend.
“It is going to be a long League season and we can’t take anything for granted,” said Kelly.
“Yes we are at home and Limerick are a good, solid team.
“There is no way we can think we’ve done well (against Fermanagh) so the next match is a gimme.
“We can’t get any way ahead of ourselves. We have to stay humble and keep working hard.”
Antrim’s management team of Enda McGinley, Stephen O’Neill and Kelly have assembled a strong panel of players for the 2022 campaign.
Despite losing Paddy Cunningham, Mark Sweeney and Niall McKeever to retirement, the Saffron squad looks as strong as ever with real talent on the bench.
During Saturday’s clash with Fermanagh, Paddy McAleer, Conor Murray and Paddy McCormick all came off the bench and made an impact while former underage star Seamus McGarry also kicked a point in the closing stages.
Antrim are also without a handful of first-time regulars for the first part of the season and Kelly admits there could be a few selection headaches in the coming weeks.
“Naming the team was difficult, naming the 26 was even more difficult,” added the St Gall’s clubman.
“We are looking at the of Marc Jordan and Conor Stewart, Eunan Walsh, guys who are injured who still have to come into that squad.
“It is only a good thing. It means the competition is there and means the boys have to push it that bit more and push themselves to a new level.
“That’s what we are looking for, that consistency.”
