The stoniest heart would break for Antrim. After a genuine resurgence last summer, just about anything that could go wrong has gone wrong. From the poisonous county final whose lingering effects have been such a distraction to the foot-and-mouth restrictions (with heart surgery for one of his best forwards, Kevin Madden, thrown in for good measure), Brian White's preparations have been dogged with misfortune.

His can-do demeanour has been sorely tested in the lead-up to this match. New players have been drafted in but it's hard to avoid the impression that the mood in the county is downbeat.

In Derry there is also some uncertainty with Eamonn Coleman pushing a clutch of young players. Only two of his All-Ireland winning team remain and many from the interim years have also fallen by the wayside.

They have been forewarned by Antrim's audacious crack at them a year ago and will be fully focused. That will be decisive for a county that sometimes loses concentration in what look like less daunting matches. In the right mood, they'll win.