Field cut as Antrim opt out

HURLING/Liam MacCarthy Cup: Ulster won't be represented in this year's All-Ireland hurling championship following Antrim's decision to opt for the Christy Ring Cup instead of the Liam MacCarthy Cup. It marks another new era for hurling, further narrowing the elite to Leinster, Munster and Galway.

Antrim insist, however, the move is short term and intended solely to improve the county's hurling fortunes. The decision was made at Monday night's meeting of the county board - ironically, the day after they beat Galway in the league - and explained yesterday by county secretary Jim Murray.

No Ulster team has won the All-Ireland title, but with 42 Ulster titles Antrim have led the chase for success. Until recently Ulster champions had direct access to an All-Ireland quarter-final, but the new format changed that.

Last year Antrim were relegated from the 12-team Liam McCarthy Cup, but a new provision allowed the Ulster champions contest a preliminary quarter-final against a provincial runner-up, rather than contest the second-tier Christy Ring Cup.

Down had already announced they would waive that potential access to the Liam MacCarthy Cup and now Antrim have followed suit - effectively ending Ulster's interest in the business end of this year's championship.

"Of course, it's not good," admitted Murray. "But we see it as a short-term loss for a long-term gain. There's no point in going out against the losers of Leinster, getting beaten, and then it's season over . . . Liam MacCarthy is our rightful place, and we're sorry we're not there, and it has got to this point.

"But the main reason is we feel we're rebuilding, with a new manager and a new, young squad. It was more important at this stage that we get meaningful and competitive games, championship style. So our future lies in the Liam MacCarthy Cup, and that will always be our goal. But just not at the moment."

Sunday's surprise victory over Galway marked a superb start for the new manager, Jim McKernan, but the county board had already made up their mind.

"Of course, Sunday was a fantastic result," added Murray, "and that's the sort of potential we believe this team has, to win those types of games. But when you're rebuilding a team like we are the first thing you want is consistency, and you get that playing lots of games.

"There was some thought that we should go for the Liam MacCarthy spot, but there was long and hard talk throughout Antrim over the past two months. We spoke to clubs, players and former managers and got a true assessment - we need to maximise our games at the moment, and the closest we'll get to that right now is the Christy Ring Cup."

It means this year's Liam McCarthy Cup will be limited to Leinster (Kilkenny, Wexford, Offaly, Dublin, Laois and Westmeath), Munster (Clare, Cork, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford) and Connacht (Galway).

Meanwhile, Dublin and Tyrone have yet to appeal the Central Disciplinary Committee (CDC) suspensions handed down after their opening match in the Allianz Football League. A Croke Park spokesman confirmed no appeals had been submitted as of yesterday evening, but said the county boards did have three days to do so following written confirmation of the CDC rulings.

Dublin have confirmed their intention to back the appeals of Ciarán Whelan, Kevin Bonner, Alan Brogan and Brian Cullen, but said they wouldn't appeal the €10,000 fine. Tyrone are expected to do likewise for Eoin Mulligan, Michael McGee and Kevin Hughes.