Darren Gleeson knows the importance of Sunday’s vital Leinster SHC clash with Westmeath, but he won’t take a chance on any of his players if they aren’t fully fit.
The Saffrons need a win in Mullingar to stay in the Liam MacCarthy Cup for next season and they are likely to travel to Cusack Park minus the services of a handful of key players.
Gleeson confirmed that Sunday’s game will come too soon for former skipper Conor McCann who continues to work his way back to fitness following a cruciate injury while Antrim are sweating on the fitness of five other players ahead of this weekend’s game.
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“The game will come too soon for Conor (McCann) - he is on the road to recovery and it would be very unfair to throw him in when he hasn’t had much full contact training. He isn’t an option for this weekend,” stated Gleeson.
“Nigel Elliott (broken foot) is out, Phelim Duffin is out (concussion). “Seaan Elliott, Conal Bohill, Eoin Campbell and Neil McManus are making really good progress and we hope to have them for Sunday.
“We’ll have to see if they come through the work they need to come through this week and see if they are fully fit.
“Gerard Walsh is one we’ll have to call on the day - he picked up a knock in the Galway game last weekend.”
The Tipperary native added: “We are in a one-game shootout and we have to try and maximise what we have.
“Niall McKenna and Daniel McKernan are back which is a big boost for us.
“We played three Championship games in 13 or 14 days and you are always going to pick up knocks and niggles. Those three games took their toll.
“We have a good squad built up over the last three or four years and, no matter who pulls on the jersey on Sunday, I’m expecting a really good performance from them.”
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