Antrim hurling manager David Fitzgerald must plan for the 2025 season without Conal Cunning.

The star forward suffered a cruciate ligament injury in Dunloy’s recent Antrim SHC semi-final victory over Loughgiel and is expected to miss Sunday’s final against holders Cushendall as a result.

Meanwhile, Cushendall and Antrim legend Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton is realistic about what the Saffrons can achieve under their new high-profile manager. Speaking at this week’s Hurling / Shinty International launch in Croke Park, the Ireland co-manager commented: “We're not going to win the All-Ireland. There's nobody in Antrim booking hotels for the All-Ireland final next year because Davy is coming, but we want to get the best out of them.

“Our aim will be to get at Wexford or Dublin, those teams that we would see just above us. To take the scalps of them on a regular basis and that's what we need to do, and not just at home.”

He added: “If you're asking lads to give the level of commitment that Davy obviously is going to demand - he's going to have to demand that to compete - I hope there's not a drop off.

“That's my fear. I'd have that inner fear and worry about it that players would look and say, 'what am I doing this for? I'm sacrificing my whole life here’.”

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