'Saffrons won't back down over Corrigan' - Cunningham

Paddy Cunningham urged Ulster GAA to reconsider their decision to move the game to Pairc Esler

Former Antrim captain Paddy Cunningham believes the county's players will not change their stance in refusing to play the Ulster SFC contest against Armagh at an alternative venue to Corrigan Park - even if that means they could be thrown out of the entire championship.

After a meeting of the Ulster Competitions Control Committee (CCC) on Thursday, Ulster GAA said they "sympathised with Antrim GAA's situation" but that the county must move the last-eight tie from Corrigan Park to Newry on 12 April in order to accommodate the anticipated crowd for the visit of the All-Ireland champions.

In response, Antrim GAA have said they "still expect" to stage the game at home, reiterating that it is their "right" to play the game in west Belfast.

GAA rules make clear that teams who refuse to play championship games would not only forfeit the fixture but would be thrown out of the remainder of the competition.

Asked whether this would be a price worth paying, Cunningham told BBC Sport NI: "It is. You have to live by your principles.

"Antrim have made their decision and I'm fully confident they are going to stand by their decision. I'm just hoping with some reflection, the Ulster Council will do the right thing here."

'Nothing has changed' - McEntee

Cunningham's assessment was backed up by Antrim manager Andy McEntee's reiteration that "nothing has changed" in his players' thinking.

"If that's the final decision, it [the game] won't take place," the Antrim boss told RTE Sport.

"It's straightforward. It's always been straightforward. The team that gets drawn out first gets home advantage.

"Antrim footballers have been looked at as second class citizens for long enough. It's time to make a stand. That's what the players are doing and I support them, 100%."

Cunningham added: "Antrim have a health and safety certificate from Belfast City Council. There's absolutely no reason why this game should not take place in Corrigan Park."

The former Antrim forward added "the only positive" to come out of the seeming impasse over the venue for the last-eight tie "is that it probably highlights the need for Casement to get off the ground".

"There are boys there who have never played in a provincial stadium within Antrim and that shows the necessity for Casement to be built as soon as possible.

"Over the last decade, we've been the forgotten soul. We've no home of our own. Again it raises the need for Casement Park. It needs to happen. It it had already happened, we wouldn't be in this situation.

"I think this is the straw that broke the camel's back for both the Antrim players and the county board."

Cunningham perceives widespread support for Antrim's stance from across the GAA.

"There has been support from Gaels not only within Antrim, but across Ulster and across Ireland, and even within Armagh. The only people who seem to be against this is the Ulster Council.

"I think the GAA as a whole is solely behind the Antrim players and the Antrim county board. They will need to take stock of this and do the right thing.

"I feel sorry for Armagh as much as I feel sorry for Antrim given that they are trying to prepare for an Ulster Championship game 35 days away and it's completely up in the air whether this game will take place. It's a very difficult position to put Armagh in too."