Tailteann-focused Antrim look to build on Corrigan display
Given the build-up for Antrim to the Ulster Football Championship clash with Armagh last month, the feeling was they had to at least deliver a performance, if not a result.
After much debate and at one stage the threat of a forfeited fixture, the quarter-final was finally given the green light for Corrigan Park after the long-touted decision to take it to Páirc Esler was met with firm resistance.
Former manager and RTÉ Sport analyst Enda McGinley was among those who felt it added unfair pressure on Antrim given the venue debacle, but Andy McEntee's team delivered in spades, giving the All-Ireland champions a bellyful and leading at half-time before the Orchard County's class finally told.
For the Saffrons, who will ply their trade in Division 4 next year, it was a display with plenty to build on as they face into a Tailteann Cup campaign.
"It was a good performance, we emerged with a lot of credit from that game," captain Dermot McAleese told RTÉ Sport. "We really went at them in the first half, our target was to be brave against them and I think we did that.
"We are probably disappointed with how the second half went, I think their strength-in-depth probably told and we aren't playing at that level every week."
The issues surrounding Casement Park - it is estimated that it would cost at least £260 million to build the new stadium, but only around £120m is currently available – gave the Antrim footballers as much media attention as they have received in a long time, but for the players it was simple after making their statement; let the football do the talking and shine a light on their lack of a suitable county ground.
"We had to go back it up and deliver a performance and we did that – to a certain degree. After that, it was all outside noise
"It probably did create a bit more of a buzz about the county, but it was also about highlighting the fact that we don't have a proper county ground, and haven't had a proper county ground with the absence of Casement.
"Antrim Gaels deserve that, Ulster Gaels deserve that, and it was good to see a swell of support for that. I know there was a march on the morning of the game, from Casement and there were thousands at it, so it was a good opportunity to highlight that, the fact we need Casement built."
McAleese is among the longest-serving players in the panel, for 12 years he has togged out alongside fellow stalwarts Paddy McBride and Mark Jordan.
Aside from a couple of years out, he has been at the coalface for Antrim as they seek progress and the Portglenone clubman is encouraged by the relative stability of the group.
"We have a young panel there and we have been able to keep it together in the last few years, there hasn't been a whole lot of chopping and changing or lads leaving the panel, so I suppose it is about nurturing that."
There isn't quite the intense outside focus on their Tailteann Cup opener against Westmeath on Sunday as there was pre-Armagh, where the third seeds will also face Limerick and London in Group 4.
McAleese is hoping that if things fall right, they could improve on successive semi-final defeats in the competition.
"Westmeath have been very unlucky this year, they could have easily been in the top half of Division 2 but ended up relegated. We played them last year, and it was a very close game, they just came out the right side of it.
"Everyone starts at zero again, so you just have to take one game at a time and see how we get on."
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