By Niall Gartland

ANTRIM will travel to Limerick for Saturday’s round two Division 1B clash brimming with confidence after their opening day win against Wexford. This time last year, the Saffrons were trounced in their corresponding fixture against Wexford, but to be fair they were depleted that particular weekend.

Still though, it was a chastening defeat and they went out with a point to prove last Saturday at Ahoghill, Dervla Cosgrove settling the contest in their favour with a late winner.

Saffrons captain Amy Boyle elected to play into a stiff breeze in the first half, a decision that worked in their favour as Wexford threw their eggs into one basket, focusing on goal opportunities, and although they got two of them, they would have been better off keeping the scoreboard ticking over with points.

The second half was where Antrim tipped the game in their favour, with a particularly big input from Cosgrove as she weaved her way into a firing position for three of her seven points.

Antrim’s win was all the more impressive as they couldn’t call upon the services of Loughgiel star Roisin McCormick, who is sidelined with an elbow injury, though they is expected to return midway through the league. Elsewhere, Cassie McArthur is away on holidays at the moment.

In their round two encounter they take on Limerick, who ran out 1-12 to 1-6 victors against Down last weekend. Managed for a second season by Joe McQuaid, they made hard enough work of their victory, a second-half goal from Laura Southern proving crucial in the final reckoning while the reliable free-taker Caoimhe Costello banged six points from the dead ball.

While they fell short on the day, Down, in the first year operating under former Antrim hurler Domhnall Nugent, will take confidence from their display. They face their first away trip of the new season when they head for Westmeath this Saturday, who suffered a bruising defeat at the hands of Clare in their first league outing.