Neal Peden says Antrim are treating next weekend's Joe McDonagh Cup clash with Westmeath as a semi-final after Saturday's win over Offaly left them one step away from a place in the final at Croke Park.
The Saffrons made it two wins from three at Bord na Mona O'Connor Park, despite losing Martin Burke to a red card after just eight minutes.
"That's what we wanted, we wanted to set it up for Dunloy next week. It's our big semi-final, that's been our goal and that's a great chance next week," the Antrim manager told the Irish Independent.
"In the end we were drained and we were hanging in, but we got away from them again. It showed you that we had the quality, we took the scores at the proper times.
"It's about those wee small things and taking those extra points. We had a chance for a goal to wrap it up at the end, but it's like everything, you don't travel down to Offaly and get a good win like that easily.
"On the back of the Laois game where we didn't kick on the way we wanted, we just kicked on today. It sets it up for us next week."
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