09 February 2011
Antrim hurlers begin their 2011 Allianz Division 2 campaign with an away trip to Kerry this Sunday. It is a fixture which manager Dinny Cahill is treating with caution.
“We will get nothing easy in Kerry that is for sure. We have had very tight matches with Kerry hurlers in recent years and when you travel down to Tralee to play them, it is a bit of a trip into the unknown. They have made great progress in recent years and were unlucky in last year’s Christy Ring Final. Kerry have made it clear that their aim is to return the team to the senior all Ireland championship so they will be very keen to get a good start to the league.”
Dinny recalled a tense encounter with Kerry during his first spell in charge of the Saffrons, in a Division 2 winner takes all clash. “That match was played on Easter Sunday and it was a very tight, tense affair. Games against Kerry since then have been close and given that we are away on Sunday, we will be take nothing for granted.”
The Antrim boss feels that the Walsh Cup games will stand the hurlers in good stead ahead of the League.
“We were able to try out some new players and some of them will make their league debut this Sunday. Having those two competitive games was an advantage to us and the squad has knuckled down to some very hard training since then. We have prepared well and we will be going looking for the right result – but we know it will be a tough game.”
Throw in 12.30pm.