Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Lake men closing on final place
THE narrow margins in the Joe Mcdonagh Cup are best reflected by the fact that four of the six teams could be level on points by the end of play today.
Westmeath are the only side with a 100 per cent record from their three games and they can confirm their place in the final with a game to spare if they beat Antrim at home and Carlow to fail to beat Laois.
Having failed to end Laois’s hopes at home two weeks ago, Antrim have lost momentum and jointmanagers Terence ‘Sambo’ Mcnaughton and Dominic Mckinley are without injured pair Joe Maskey and Michael Armstrong.
“This is a must-win game from our perspective, there’s no other way of putting it,” Mckinley said.
“Obviously the loss of Joe and Michael is a big blow but we have to get on with it. Neil Mcmanus came back into action quickly the last day after receiving a distressing injury and that was a bonus for us. Hopefully he will do the business again for us.”
But if Westmeath’s form holds up, they should be well on the way to the final.
Laois threw themselves a lifeline with a win in Antrim a fortnight ago and, with no further room for error, should keep their hopes alive at home to Carlow.
So too Kerry, who can avenge last year’s defeat in Meath by pushing the Royals nearer to automatic relegation to the Christy Ring Cup.