The Antrim Senior Football Championship is about to engage top gear and this means that county team manager Andy McEntee is primed to put in the miles in his pursuit of assessing fresh talent at matches throughout the county.
Since taking up the reins with the Saffrons two years ago, Meath native McEntee has made a considerable impact but he is particularly keen to see the side make more significant progress this year now that a tranche of experienced campaigners are ready for the fray again.
Conor Stewart, Adam Loughran, Ryan Murray, Peter Healy and Conhuir Johnston were among those conspicuous by their absence for the greater part of the season that has just ended and to say that McEntee will have a red carpet welcome awaiting them ahead of next season would be an understatement.
Antrim may have failed in their in their bid to make the jump from Division Three to Division Two of the Allianz League but their robust Tailteann Cup campaign has triggered optimism for the 2025 season.
In overcoming Wexford and Tipperary before drawing with Sligo in the group stages, Antrim then found Laois a rather more difficult obstacle in the Semi-Finals in losing by 3-12 to 1-13.
But McEntee is optimistic that his side can not only make a more forcible impact in the League year but feels they have the capacity to make their presence felt at Championship level.
“We are hopeful that we will have a full panel at our disposal and should that prove to be the case then I think that progress can be made,” reflects McEntee,
“While we have a raft of experienced players we have others who are coming through strongly and this gives us encouragement going forward.”
“Division Three can prove tough going but we have to be up for the challenge.
“There is no doubt that if we can hit the ground running we have the belief and the ability to spur us on but we have to take each match as it comes.”
Unsurprisingly, McEntee would like to see his side figure in the All-Ireland Championship proper rather that plough a furrow through the Tailteann Cup and he believes the players now have the incentive to prove that they can live with the bigger guns.
“I believe that at full strength we can give a good account of ourselves against most teams,” he said.
“The important thing is that we show commitment, energy and ambition — these are factors that can prove key to making progress. While it was frustrating having to play without several of our regulars this year, let’s hope that everyone will be on board for 2025,” said McEntee.
In the meantime, the annual Antrim GAA Golf Spectacular will take place at the Hilton Templepatrick Kingfisher Estate on Saturday, September 6.
Meanwhile, there could possibly be yet another vacancy on the inter-county management scene.
The Meath County Board will meet on Thursday night and it is expected that Colm O’Rourke’s role as team boss will be up for discussion.
It is understood that the county’s management committee has undertaken a detailed review of O’Rourke’s tenure to date and the outcome of their deliberations is expected to be revealed.
Last year Meath won the Tailteann Cup by beating Down in the Final.
O’Rourke was initially appointed for a three-year term at the end of 2022 subject to a review at the end of his second year.
It is not expected all of the current management team will continue for next year while there has been huge speculation of late in relation to the player content survey part of the review.