Antrim stalwart says Corrigan Park stance proved to be worthwhile
Although ultimately defeat was their lot against All-Ireland champions Armagh in last month's Ulster quarter-final, the Ulster Council bending to the players' refusal to play the tie in Newry was a victory of sorts and shone further spotlight on the ongoing farce around the Casement Park rebuild.
'It probably did create a bit more of a buzz about the county,' said McAleese. 'Probably for us, it was about the home game 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.
'And I think 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.'
As for the game itself, Antrim performed well and led at half-time before being swamped, but it gives them something to carry into Sunday's Tailteann Cup opener away to Westmeath.
'It was a good performance, we emerged with a lot of credit from that game, 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.
'So, they sort of pushed on the second half, but we can take a lot of a lot out of that game, a lot of confidence from it and it's really something to build on for the Tailteann Cup,' McAleese added.
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