ANTRIM boss Andy McEntee hopes the Saffrons’ first game with a hooter does not blow up in their faces tomorrow.
A proposal to introduce a clock and hooter system by the GAA’s Football Review Committee came to pass in the NFL but was only in action in Divisions 1 and 2.
Antrim played all seven of their Division 3 games with the old stopwatch system and the referee calling time on each half.
But the hooter will be in use for tomorrow’s Ulster SFC quarter–final against Armagh at Corrigan Park.
The system caused confusion in some league games when scores were taken after the hooter had sounded — which is currently allowed.
With the All-Ireland champions in town, McEntee is just praying his men are still in the game when the last call sounds in Belfast tomorrow.
He said: “It’s not great that Divisions 1 and 2 have had exposure to it and Divisions 3 and 4 haven’t had it. That’s not ideal.
“I’d like to think it’s not going to have a huge impact, I’d hope not. I’d like to think it’ll be that close at the hooter at the end of the Armagh game. If it is, I’ll talk to you about it afterwards.
“You’ll be leaning into everything you can. You’re going to need everything going in your favour to get anything out of the game.”
Tomorrow’s sell-out clash sparked huge controversy when Ulster GAA fixed the game for Páirc Esler in Newry.
But McEntee’s players fought for the home advantage the draw had given them and won.
The Meath man backed their stance, but was cursing their luck at getting relegated to Division 4.
And he says Antrim’s attitude across the board has been top-notch since he took the reins in July 2022.
He said: “I’m so happy for them, to get the game in Corrigan, their attitude has always been great.
“Even in the final round against Kildare, the scoreline was probably a bit harsh on us but it was a good performance for a lot of it.
“We still got the chance to expose a few new fellas into the game. Despite what it might look like on the outside, there was a feelgood factor about it. Morale is not an issue as far as I’m aware.
“We’ve had a great experience up in Belfast and the people up there are hugely welcoming. You go to club games and they couldn’t do enough for you.
“The regular people that make the tea and scones up in Corrigan, you couldn’t meet nicer people. The experience has been very positive.”
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