Terence McNaughton has put his inter-county career behind him, but his deep commitment to hurling remains. When he comes to Dublin on Sunday he will play in a challenge match for Cushendall against Na Fianna before heading off to Croke Park for the All-Ireland quarter-final between Antrim and Offaly. He remembers that extraordinary day in 1989 when Antrim scored a shock win over Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final. Sadly for Antrim they were overwhelmed in the final by Tipperary on a score of 4-24 to 3-9 and his assessment of the Antrim performance on that day is encapsulated in the word "naive".

"We were lambs to the slaughter that day. We were carried away by the occasion. It was really a bit too much for us. I believe that it will always be difficult for us to compete at that level unless we get tougher competition. We have problems which no other county has, but there are a lot of things out of our control," he says. He is now involved in the management of an Antrim under-21 side which has won the Ulster championship. "I just can't imagine life without an interest in hurling. If we could get the competition on a regular basis I'm sure that we would be a match for anyone.

"In effect we have only two big clubs in Antrim at the moment, Dunloy and Cushendall. In the last few weeks we have really been up against it. Asking young lads to travel to train is not on because of Orange roadblocks. Nobody in his right mind would head out for training with a load of hurleys in the boot of the car. I'm not making excuses for Antrim, I only want people to understand that we have problems which other counties do not have in the south," he says.

He played hurling for Antrim for 18 years. "I have a wife and a young family and the youngest son is swinging a hurley around already. Hurling has always been a major part of my family life, but at 34 I have given the inter-county scene as much as I can give," he says.

"We know very well that Offaly will be very highly motivated for the match. They did not do themselves justice against Kilkenny in the Leinster final and the problem with Babs Keating will have made them even more determined to show their class. That leaves Antrim with a huge challenge. "We have a young team with a lot of potential and they are quite capable of springing a surprise, but it would be a surprise. We established a very good relationship with Offaly after our win over them in 1989, but I can't see them doing us any favours this time. There is a lot of pride at stake for them," he says. Hoping to puncture Offaly's confidence will be Alastair Elliot, who will be in the right corner of the Antrim attack. A Dunloy club player, he also mentions the difficulties which face GAA people in Antrim when it comes to travelling to training, particularly at this time of the year.

"You really can't expect a group of young people to travel to Belfast and back for training with the dangers that involves," he says.

He insists, however, on concentrating on the match and what it means to Antrim. "We have every chance of winning," he says. "If we get a dry day and a firm pitch we can do it. Croke Park will not be that strange to most of us. I played there for Dunloy in All-Ireland club finals when we were beaten by Birr and Sixmilebridge.

"We have a great belief in ourselves and although we know that Offaly will be in a very determined mood, I believe that we have a very good chance," he says.