Closing the gap despite lashing

Antrim's Terence McNaughton said before yesterday's game with Kilkenny that Antrim are closing the gap on the country's top sides.
That might seem foolish given that Antrim were then beaten by 20 points by the country's top team who were also missing several first team regulars.
However, I believe that McNaughton is right and that the Northern county have made progress this year despite thrashings by Waterford, Cork and Kilkenny in successive weeks.
Yesterday Antrim were level with the Cats at half time only for Kilkeny to draw away in the second half like they have done so often over the last five seasons against better sides than Antrim.
Last week there was only a point between Antrim and Cork at the break before the Rebels too pulled away.
Antrim will reflect on this year's league and Walsh Cup with a feeling that but for a poor display at Parnell Park against Dublin at the start of this year's campaign they may well have stayed up.
As it is Division 2 hurling beckons for next season and this will make it more difficult to build on the progress of this young side.