By Michael McMullan

ANTRIM’s third season under Andy McEntee begins on Sunday with the visit of Clare to Corrigan Park.

With Kildare and Fermanagh dropping down from Division Two this season, the Saffrons will again face a stiff test as they bid for promotion.

McEntee will have to plan without former skipper Declan Lynch who retired at the end of last season and has since been joined by Paddy McAleer.

The luckless Peter Healy is again on the injury list and McEntee – who now has former Tyrone All-Ireland winner Justin McMahon as his right-hand man – has drafted in a number of young players to the squad.

Michael Byrne has blossomed into a top ‘keeper to build a team around with Eunan Walsh, Dermot McAleese, Kavan Keenan and Marc Jordan some of the key defenders in front of him.

Conor Stewart made a return from an ACL injury and will be their focal point at midfield. With Colm McLarnon and Cathal Hynes out injured, it’s here McEntee needs to find a long-term partner.

The Saffrons had impressed in recent challenge games and played Meath in their final warm-up last weekend before the real action comes into view.

Creggan’s Ruairí McCann has stepped away and with McAleer out of the equation as a potential target man beside Aghagallon goal machine Ruairí McCann, Antrim will be pondering over their best formula.

Paddy McBride and Ryan McQuillan chipped in with much of their scoring return from play last season.

Dominic McEnhill, a returning Ryan Murray and promising Cargin inside forward Conhuir Johnston are among the options.

The Banner have Peter Keane in charge this season and, with returning players, he has a stronger hand than the Clare side that asked Kerry plenty of questions in last year’s Munster final.

For Antrim, they’ve been inconsistent in the last two seasons. Of the 27 games in league and championship, they drew with Sligo in the Tailteann Cup and the rest were divided equally between wins and defeats.

A scratch of the surface reveals games they were in control of without sealing the deal.

Home games are the currency of promotion bids and Antrim will be hoping to get off to a positive start but it’s going to be a tough start.