If Antrim want to compete in the Liam McCarthy Cup, then retaining their Division One status each year is of crucial importance insists Neil McManus.
With one game to spare, Antrim are already assured of their place in the top flight next season after last Sunday’s thrilling 3-18 to 1-18 win over Laois at Corrigan Park.
The result means Laois will take on Westmeath in the relegation play-off later this month while the pressure is off Antrim as they welcome Darren Gleeson’s native Tipperary to West Belfast on Sunday.
Read more: GAA club game abandoned after player suffers horror injury
“It is huge - it was a very important win for us,” said McManus.
“It is like everything in life. The level that you operate at is the level you learn at and we’re still learning. You have to learn in Division One to play at Liam MacCarthy Championship level - that’s the only way it works.
“You can’t do it from Division 2A of the League.
“For our young players are coming out of minor and U20 teams playing in Leinster ‘B’ competitions so our senior team has to be in Division One to give them a chance to acclimatise.
“As a group, we’ve performed fairly well for periods in every game so far and I think we did it for a bit longer against Laois.
“We were pretty dominant in the second half, but our first half performance wouldn’t have been good enough. We got away with it a bit - Laois played the better hurling in the first half.
“In the second half, we won nearly every breaking ball and we did the right things when we had possession.
“Keelan Molloy and Stephen Rooney came out and claimed a few that could have easily ended up in our net and Michael Bradley just seemed to be absolutely everywhere.
“We’re short quite a few players, a few important players so it was pleasing to see a lot of the younger players leading the charge.”
Antrim had their character tested last Sunday as they were forced to come from behind to defeat Willie Maher’s side, who ended the game with 14 men after Gearoid Lynch’s late red card.
The Saffrons were also without several players through injury while captain Eoghan Campbell was suspended.
After Nigel Elliott’s early major, McManus plundered a vital goal just before half-time to cut the gap back to two with Conal Cunning also finding the net in the second half as the hosts pulled clear.
The Cushendall ace hailed the strength-in-depth of the Antrim panel and said the squad were delighted to deliver a performance for their management team after so many near-misses this season.
“I had massive confidence that we were going to deliver that kind of performance,” added McManus.
“The morale in the changing room is massive now. It is still a work in progress.
“I’ve been lucky that injuries haven’t ended my inter-county career and I’m enjoying the best of it as we’re bringing the biggest names in hurling to Corrigan Park.
“Laois are a hell of a team and have retained their own Division One status for many years and I wouldn’t be surprised if they go on and win the play-off and stay up.
“Being within touching distance at half-time was really important. Gerard Walsh is a phenomenal striker of the ball - he could put it in your pocket from 90 yards. There’s very few players in the country who could do that, but Gerard Walsh is one of them.
“That gave us a platform and, playing with the breeze in the second half, we were able to make it count. We got two points and put in a performance to be proud of.
“That performance gives a bit back to the management because we did what we were asked to do for the first time in a while and we got our just rewards.”
With the Premier County already guaranteed their place in the League semi-finals, both teams will be playing for little more than pride at Corrigan Park on Sunday with Antrim’s focus now turning to their forthcoming Leinster SHC campaign.
The Saffrons host Dublin at Corrigan Park on Saturday, April 22 and are also at home to Kilkenny in round three and face Wexford, Galway and Westmeath on the road.
Antrim welcome their skipper Eoghan Campbell back to the squad for Sunday’s final League outing, but Conal Bohill remains sidelined while Joe Maskey sustained a hand injury in the closing stages of the Laois game and is a major doubt.
READ NEXT:
Liam Kearns tributes paid as GAA mourn sudden death of inter-county manager
- Recap as Antrim secure their Division One status with a six-point victory over Laois
- Antrim star named in Camogie Third Level Championships Team of the Year
Dublin star Dean Rock urges the GAA to take action against players who dive
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.
