BIG DERBY…There is a lot n the line when Antrim meet Down today

DESPITE the fact that 32 games have already been played so far this year, this weekend apparently sees the start of the 2016 Championship.

The annual disregard for the Ring, Rackard and Meagher Cups, as well as the Leinster SHC round-robin is nothing if not consistent, so cue the official start of Irish summer time sound-bites this weekend as the Munster Championship rolls into Thurles.

It must be said thought that at the time of writing the build-up to Sunday’s Cork-Tipp clash is as muted as I can remember for a clash of two of the (supposed) Big Three.

Is Cork’s winless and ultimately pointless Division 1A campaign during which they shipped 9-118 in five games leading to a sense of foreboding down by the Lee? Is there an acceptance that Cork just aren’t up to the mark for the next few years?

It’s hard to imagine that being the case. But then again, it’s also hard to imagine that Cork would be 9/4 against Tipp in a Munster Championship quarter-final.

I’ll get back to that in a minute but on Saturday there’s probably the most important Ulster derby since the Liam Harvey Cup lost its place in the MacCarthy Cup network in 2005.

Antrim and Down meet at Dunloy in the Christy Ring Cup semi-final. Why is that game any more important than last year when Derry and Down met for a place in the second tier final I hear you ask.

What’s different is that this year for the first time in a decade, there’s no Ulster representation in the top flight of the Championship. For Antrim in particular, looking at the results of the Leinster round-robin must leave a green hue of jealousy around the eyeballs.

While Westmeath are preparing to lock horns with Galway after topping the group, Antrim have Kildare or Meath in their sights – if they manage to get past Down.

And that’s no foregone conclusion. While there may be a sense that Antrim are punching below their weight, the facts are that they were beaten by Kerry and won just one game in the Leinster round robin last year, and this year won just two games in Division 2A of the League.

Down, like Antrim, have also faltered this season. Manager Michael Johnston has tried to mix things up a bit in terms of different formations and positions. It probably backfired a bit in the League final against Armagh, but he is now plotting the downfall of his native county in the semi-final of the Christy Ring Cup.

Since losing to Armagh in the Division 2B final, Down have beaten Derry and Roscommon and have come into form at the right time. After their win over the Rossies at Ballycran, a couple of the Roscommon players made Down favourites to beat Antrim, based on their experience of playing against both teams in the previous two weeks.

Down were indeed impressive. While Johnston may have shipped criticism from home support after the League final, I have to commend his performance on the sideline against Roscommon. He kept his forwards moving, had Danny Toner and Donal Hughes in the full forward line for spells, swapping with Conor O’Prey and Oisin McManus who has been a great find this year.

His substitutes also delivered with Scott Nicholson and Chris Egan both splitting the posts. In the second half there was only one team in it, although the tally of 14 wides won’t do on Saturday.

Given Roscommon’s performance against Antrim the previous week, I thought they would have been a lot closer than the seven points that separated the sides at the end. They were missing two of their four ‘outside’ players with Galway native Jason Kilkenny and Tipp’s Ronan O’Meara both missing out on the trip to Ballycran.

That may have affected them, but as stated earlier, two Roscommon players both agreed that Down were the team to back for a place in the final.

I have to respectfully disagree with the men from the west however. The last time Down beat Antrim in a championship game was in the group stages of the 2006 Christy Ring Cup. I don’t see them repeating that feat on Saturday.

Antrim have steadied the ship since the departure of PJ O’Mullan and any complacency shown Roscommon three weeks ago will not enter the equation against their old rivals. Two years ago, only a point separated the sides in the Ulster final but I think there’ll be slightly more between them this time round – Antrim by five.

In Munster, Tipp should justify favouritism. Cork have the forwards to keep the game interesting until midway through the second half but Tipp’s forward line have the potential to rip a poor Cork back line apart at times. Tipp by seven.

With Wexford missing Lee Chin and Andrew Shore (if reports are to be believed), the Model men look to be up against it but the inconsistency of this Dublin team is preventing a firm prediction in favour of Anthony Cunningham’s side. If it was in Parnell Park, I’d give the Dubs the nod but I think this one will go to the wire with Wexford causing an upset at headquarters. Wexford by one.
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