Allianz Hurling League: 'Our performance just wasn't good enough,' says Antrim boss Darren Gleeson

Gleeson's side are yet to win a game in Division One this season

Antrim boss Darren Gleeson refused to make excuses for his side's fourth-straight defeat in Division One of the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday.

Gleeson insisted their performance against Westmeath in Mullingar just wasn't up to scratch in a 2-18 to 1-15 loss.

"The best team won the game," he said.

"We were the second best team, but I don't think it was for a lack of effort - just execution and playing at a higher level."

The Saffrons travelled to Cusack Park with just 21 players as the injury list now tallies 12, while Joseph McLaughlin was on duty for the county's U20s in their Ulster final defeat by Derry at Corrigan Park.

'Conditions weren't tricky at all'

Conditions were far from perfect on a gloomy Saturday with a strong wind, but Gleeson wasn't entertaining the bad luck angle, dismissing it as "soft talk".

He instead insisted the team just didn't do enough to win the game that means they have no chance of making next year's new-look Division 1A.

"Conditions weren't tricky at all. I wouldn't blame conditions, light or any of that. It was the same for Westmeath as it was for us.

"We only used four of the six subs as that's all we needed, but that's not why we were beat. A lot of guys are learning to play at that level and it's a sharp learning curve.

He continued: "Once 15 lads cross the line you expect them give everything they have. It doesn't matter what you have standing behind you [on the bench].

"The U20s are trying to learn their trade at another level, so it's very unfair to be asking them to come in and back it up all the time.

"The other 12 [injured] lads were working hard at Dunsilly and hopefully those injuries clear up over the next few weeks."

'The boys are giving everything'

Antrim were missing the bulk of the squad which helped them beat Westmeath in the Leinster Championship last year

Antrim never got their noses in front on Saturday and were only level briefly before the hosts found one of many responses to any Saffron surge.

Errors were again punished as the Lake County grabbed their first win of the campaign to make up in some way for Antrim's victory over them at the same venue in last year's Leinster Championship.

A large number of the team that saw Antrim get over the line that day to preserve their Leinster Championship status are unavailable for a variety of reasons.

Gleeson again refused to offer that as an excuse for the run of defeats in 2024 and is keen for the conversation to centre around those who are there rather than those who aren't.

"Overall, our performance just wasn't good enough," he stressed.

"The boys that are in there are trying their hardest. There's a conversation outside about who is not there but they boys in there are giving everything they can for the Antrim jersey.

"Saturday wasn't up to scratch but you just work at it. What are you going to do? Stop and not do it? That's not an option. You stay hard at it and try to improve, so that's what we'll do this week."