Change needed if Antrim to close the gap

Antrim's hurlers ended up on the wrong end of a 17-point beating at Casement Park today as Cork turned up the heat in the second half.
The Saffrons battled gamely and wind assisted in the first half went in at the break only one point down.
They registered only another three points in the second half however, and Cork racked up a goal and 16 points to run away with the game.
For me the North/South gap was most clear in the sharpness of the first touch and Cork's ability in particular to hold the sliotar whether a clean catch in the air or in picking up short passes from a colleague.
Antrim's inability to match Cork in this department condemned the Saffrons to a series of turnovers or scrappy possession and allowed Cork to notch up a series of scores.
Despite the scoreline Antrim have come on but it is vital that this young Antrim side continue to play against the country's top teams.
Their Division One survival is now totally precarious with only two points from this year's league but the Glensmen are also hampered by what happens in the weeks after the end of the league.
While all the top sides, apart from Galway, now move into provincial championships where they will have to step up a gear as fitness and pitches improve, Antrim can only look forward to taking on Down, Derry and London in the Ulster Championship.
This does nothing to improve the standard of hurling in Antrim as no disrespect to the other sides but they have dramatically fallen off the pace.
The only way forward for Antrim at this time is to play in Leinster where they are on a par with Laois, Offaly, Dublin and even Wexford with only the Cats lording it over the chasing pack.
These sides at least have a chance to make the breakthrough but with Antrim condemned to the Ulster championship they are wasting time playing second rate opposition in preparation for the latter stages of the Liam McCarthy.
It is no way to close the gap!