Allianz Hurling League Division 1B: Dublin v Antrim (Parnell Park, 3.30pm, live on TG4)
Antrim face back-to-back away games in Division One starting with Sunday’s trip to Parnell Park to face Dublin and Darren Gleeson is adamant that his side will continue to suffer until they learn from their mistakes.
It has been an all-too-familiar narrative from the Tipperary man as Antrim continue to hold their own against top level opposition without reaping the rewards.
Last season, Antrim needed a play-off win over Offaly to stay in the top flight after losing all five of their group games.
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They played well for large periods of last Sunday’s opener against Kilkenny at Corrigan Park, but were left to rue unforced errors as Kilkenny’s Billy Drennan hit 1-8 to help the Cats to a 1-18 to 0-15 in Derek Lyng’s first game in charge.
"You could feel it - an opportunity arose there for the group and they didn't take it," said Gleeson.
"The elements came with us in the second half and everything when we weren't playing well - just basic errors.
"There's always a positive side to things when we are sitting here reflecting on the game, there's disappointment that we didn't beat Kilkenny, so you can read into that either way.”
"Kilkenny make a living on pressurising people and forcing them into mistakes. That pressure and work-rate they bring pressured us into not being able to play the ball. It's that half a second quicker and you have to play it with a level of precision.
"In the first half, 1-6 from our own mistakes, that's extremely disappointing, so it's an area to work on and, by God, we'll dig into it for the week ahead."
He added: “There’s workrate and there’s endeavour. It's the slickness and the coolness to do what we ask them to do.
“There were some crazy passes hit back across into the centre of the field and we were punished for it. That’s something we’ll take on the chin as a management team and we’ll go work at it again.”
Sunday’s League clash in Parnell Park pits the Saffrons against a familiar foe as they seek to end a poor run of results against Dublin.
Antrim lost out to the Dubs in the knock-out Leinster SHC of 2021 and were beaten by four points in last season’s League meeting in Corrigan Park.
Gleeson’s men then suffered a 3-26 to 2-22 loss in last month’s Walsh Cup tie at Parnell Park and he is expecting another stern examination from the Leinster outfit this weekend after Dublin opened their campaign with a battling draw against Waterford last Sunday.
"Micheál Donoghue is putting his own stamp on things and the addition of Chris O’Leary from Cork into the middle of the field is some shove on,” added Gleeson.
“I know they’ve lost a couple of key players in Chris Crummy and that, but they’ve talent and they’ve a serious minor and U20 system coming behind them.
“Micheál, I was talking to him that day in Dublin, he has a good bunch of 50, 55 players to pick from. That will be some challenge for us.”
Gleeson started four of the Dunloy contingent in last weekend’s game against Kilkenny- namely Ryan Elliott, Ryan McGarry, Keelan Molloy and Conal Cunning. Seaan Elliott and Phelim Duffin were also introduced off the bench.
Nigel Elliott has also rejoined the Antrim panel while Conor Johnston will be available for the foreseeable after delaying an operation on a wrist injury.
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