Antrim begin their 2023 Championship campaign on Saturday afternoon as they welcome familiar foes Dublin to Corrigan Park.
The last time Antrim played in the Leinster Championship, they were humbled 3-31 to 0-22 by Dublin in Navan in 2021.
Dublin have also won the last three successive League meetings between the counties, including February’s narrow 0-28 to 2-19 win at Parnell Park.
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The Saffrons will feel they’re closing the gap and they’d love to have former captain Conor McCann battling for primary possession in their forward line on Saturday.
Instead, he’ll be there in the background, carrying hurls or water bottles, encouraging his colleagues and doing whatever is necessary to assist the Saffron cause.
He’d hoped to be back playing by the time the Championship season rolled around, but the dreaded cruciate injury heals at its own pace and McCann says he’ll not rush his return at this stage.
“I’m getting closer, but I’m not quite there yet. I’m at the latter stages (of rehab) and, fingers crossed, I'll be able to play some part of this year - that’s the aim," said McCann.
“It has been a long enough process, but I’ll not be rushed into playing when I’m not ready.
“It has been tough watching on when you feel you can offer something if you were fit.
“It is one of the tougher injuries - you are quite isolated and, with the timeline of it, it is probably as bad if not worse than a break.
“You do what you can and offer as much experience and leadership as you can to the players around you. I’ve been on stick-carrying duties for most of the year so far!
“You just try and help the team whatever way you can.”
Antrim’s Leinster SHC campaign will see them face Dublin and Kilkenny at home with trips to Wexford, Galway and Westmeath and retaining their place in the Liam MacCarthy Cup will be the primary objective for Darren Gleeson’s side.
Should a Leinster team win the Joe McDonagh Cup, the team who finishes bottom of the Leinster round-robin group will be relegated.
Getting off to a positive start this weekend would greatly benefit Antrim’s hopes of staying clear from any threat of relegation, but McCann feels they’ve shown they can compete with other Leinster teams in recent seasons.
“Of all the teams we’ve played, I feel like we’d have chances against even the likes of Kilkenny,” said McCann.
“We’ve taken points off Wexford, we have some decent performances against Galway too.
“Dublin just always seem to have that edge, whether it is their style of play, but we’ve always struggled with them.
“At the same time, we’ve gotten close, but I don’t think I’ve played on a team that has beaten Dublin.
“We are looking forward to it and it will be a massive occasion - a Leinster Senior Hurling Championship game in Corrigan Park.
“We’ve played other games in Leinster away from home and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
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