It was the third consecutive win for The Saffrons but early defeats to Down and Laois put paid to their chances of making the final and a swift return to the Leinster senior hurling championship.

Instead, Carlow, who had already qualified, will face Laois in the McDonagh Cup final in Croke Park on June 6. The winners will replace Kildare in next year’s Leinster SHC.

Fitzgerald is understood to have expressed a breakdown in his relationship with the county board after an attempt was made by officials to persuade him to step down following the loss to Laois.

Antrim denied Fitzgerald was asked to consider his position but the management maintain he was and the approach was raised in a letter by the players to the board last month. A training session was cancelled when county officials did not attend a meeting with the players.

In the letter, the players had written: “There is significant concern surrounding the situation involving Davy. It is understood that a decision was made to remove Davy from his position, only for that decision to be later reversed.” The Sixmilebridge man steps down having been appointed in August 2024. While Antrim retained their Division 1B status for a second successive year, they won just one of six games and that lack of form transferred to the championship.

Speaking to the Irish Times on Saturday, Fitzgerald addressed the recent drama in Antrim. “You’d swear the last few weeks was the first time I have been talked about. It has happened other times over the last 17 years of management. If you go through winless streaks, you’ll be talked about, that’s just part of it.”